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BMI Is a Risk Factor for Colorectal Cancer Mortality

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Abstract

Background

The relationship between dietary and lifestyle risk factors and long-term mortality from colorectal cancer is poorly understood. Several factors, such as obesity, intakes of red meat, and use of aspirin, have been reported to be associated with risk of colorectal cancer mortality, though these findings have not been replicated in all studies to date.

Methods

In the Minnesota Colon Cancer Control Study, 46,551 participants 50–80 years old were randomly assigned to usual care (control) or annual or biennial screening by fecal occult blood testing. Colon cancer mortality was assessed after 30 years of follow-up. Dietary intake and lifestyle risk factors were assessed by questionnaire at baseline.

Results

Age [hazard ratio (HR) 1.09; 95% CI 1.07, −1.11], male sex (HR 1.25; 95% CI 1.01, 1.57), and higher body mass index (BMI) (HR 1.03; 95% CI 1.00–1.05) increased the risk of CRC mortality, while undergoing screening for CRC was associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer mortality (HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.61–0.94 and 0.67; 95% CI 0.53–0.83 for biennial and annual screening, respectively). Intakes of grains, meats, proteins, coffee, alcohol, aspirin, fiber, fruits, and vegetables were not associated with colorectal cancer mortality.

Conclusions

Our study confirms the relationship between BMI and long-term colorectal cancer mortality. Modulation of BMI may reduce risk of CRC mortality.

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Acknowledgments

We are indebted to Erik Bjelke for the foresight to add this questionnaire to the study and for initiating the work associated with administering it. We also thank the following research staff: Deborah Engelhard, Jill Cordes, Mindy Geisser, and Gavin Watt; and the residents of Minnesota and Wisconsin that participated in this study.

Funding

This study was funded by Veterans Affairs Merit Program EPID-007-09S and research contracts from National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute and Grants N01CB95613, N01CB61005, N01CB53862, and R01CA65728.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, One Veterans Drive, 111-D, Minneapolis, MN, 55417, USA

    Aasma Shaukat

  2. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Allison Dostal

  3. Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Jeremiah Menk

  4. Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Timothy R. Church

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  1. Aasma Shaukat
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  2. Allison Dostal
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Correspondence to Aasma Shaukat.

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Shaukat, A., Dostal, A., Menk, J. et al. BMI Is a Risk Factor for Colorectal Cancer Mortality. Dig Dis Sci 62, 2511–2517 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-017-4682-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-017-4682-z

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