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Abdominal obesity and breast cancer risk.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Schapira, DV; Kumar, NB; Lyman, GH; Cox, CE
Published in: Ann Intern Med
February 1, 1990

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine if body fat distribution affects breast cancer risk. DESIGN: Prospective case-control study. PATIENTS: The anthropometric measurements of 216 consecutively and newly diagnosed women with invasive carcinoma of the breast were compared with those of 432 age-matched controls. The anthropometric measurements taken were abdomen, thigh, suprailiac, biceps, triceps, subscapular, and midaxillary skinfolds; waist and hip circumference; and weight and height. Women between 25 and 83 years of age were included in the study. RESULTS: Patients with breast cancer had a significantly greater waist:hip circumference ratio than controls (P less than 0.001) and a significantly greater suprailiac:thigh skinfold ratio (P less than 0.001). The relative risk for breast cancer increased with increasing waist:hip circumference ratio (less than 0.73 = 1.00; 0.73 to 76 = 1.90; 0.77 to 0.80 = 2.83; greater than 0.80 = 6.46) and with suprailiac:thigh skinfold ratio (less than 0.42 = 1.00; 0.42 to 0.56 = 1.85; 0.57 to 0.71 = 2.25; greater than 0.71 = 5.85). At other sites of upper body obesity, such as the biceps and triceps, skinfolds were significantly greater in patients with breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Although obese women are at slightly higher risk for developing breast cancer, women with android obesity are a segment of obese women who appear to be at a significantly higher risk for developing breast cancer.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Ann Intern Med

DOI

ISSN

0003-4819

Publication Date

February 1, 1990

Volume

112

Issue

3

Start / End Page

182 / 186

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Prospective Studies
  • Obesity
  • Middle Aged
  • Humans
  • General & Internal Medicine
  • Female
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Breast Neoplasms
 

Citation

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Schapira, D. V., Kumar, N. B., Lyman, G. H., & Cox, C. E. (1990). Abdominal obesity and breast cancer risk. Ann Intern Med, 112(3), 182–186. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-112-3-182
Schapira, D. V., N. B. Kumar, G. H. Lyman, and C. E. Cox. “Abdominal obesity and breast cancer risk.Ann Intern Med 112, no. 3 (February 1, 1990): 182–86. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-112-3-182.
Schapira DV, Kumar NB, Lyman GH, Cox CE. Abdominal obesity and breast cancer risk. Ann Intern Med. 1990 Feb 1;112(3):182–6.
Schapira, D. V., et al. “Abdominal obesity and breast cancer risk.Ann Intern Med, vol. 112, no. 3, Feb. 1990, pp. 182–86. Pubmed, doi:10.7326/0003-4819-112-3-182.
Schapira DV, Kumar NB, Lyman GH, Cox CE. Abdominal obesity and breast cancer risk. Ann Intern Med. 1990 Feb 1;112(3):182–186.

Published In

Ann Intern Med

DOI

ISSN

0003-4819

Publication Date

February 1, 1990

Volume

112

Issue

3

Start / End Page

182 / 186

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Prospective Studies
  • Obesity
  • Middle Aged
  • Humans
  • General & Internal Medicine
  • Female
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Breast Neoplasms