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Physique dimension and extra weight, conventionally assessed utilizing physique mass index (BMI), are well-established threat components for a lot of kinds of most cancers. Nevertheless, new analysis to be offered at this 12 months’s European Congress on Weight problems (ECO 2025, Malaga, Spain, 11–14 Might) and printed in The Journal of the Nationwide Most cancers Institute reveals that waist circumference (WC) is a stronger threat marker than BMI for growing obesity-related cancers in males, however not ladies.
The research was performed by Dr. Ming Solar, Dr. Josef Fritz and Dr. Tanja Shares, Lund College, Malmö, Sweden, and colleagues.
The research analyzed information from 339,190 people collected from numerous Swedish populations who had undergone well being assessments with BMI and WC assessments from 1981–2019 (61% objectively measured, 39% self-reported, imply age 51.4 years). Most cancers diagnoses have been obtained from the Swedish Most cancers Register.
Established obesity-related cancers have been outlined as these for which the Worldwide Company for Analysis on Most cancers (IARC) has concluded there may be ample proof linking them to weight problems, together with cancers of the esophagus (adenocarcinoma), gastric (cardia), colon, rectum, liver/intrahepatic bile ducts, gallbladder, pancreas, breast (postmenopausal), endometrium, ovary, renal cell carcinoma, meningioma, thyroid, and a number of myeloma.
The authors calculated relative dangers related to obesity-related cancers for WC and BMI, bearing in mind a number of components that might affect the outcomes, corresponding to age, smoking habits, and sociodemographic components together with training degree, earnings, beginning nation and marital standing.
As a result of WC is more durable to measure precisely and persistently than BMI, its values are inclined to differ extra. To make sure a good comparability, the researchers adjusted for measurement errors in each WC and BMI. This adjustment makes the calculated relative dangers of WC and BMI extra instantly comparable.
Lastly, as a result of WC and BMI are measured on totally different scales (1 normal deviation [SD] = 3.7 and 4.3 kg/m2 for BMI for men and women respectively, and 10.8 and 11.8 cm for WC for men and women respectively), calculating relative dangers per 1-SD enhance ensures that the increments for WC and BMI signify comparable magnitudes, permitting for a direct comparability of their related relative dangers.
Throughout a median follow-up of 14 years, 18,185 established obesity-related cancers have been recorded. In males, a WC enhance of roughly 11 cm (e.g., evaluating a WC of 100.8 cm versus 90 cm) was related to a 25% greater threat of growing obesity-related cancers.
By comparability, a BMI enhance of three.7 kg/m2 (e.g., evaluating BMI of 27.7 kg/m2 versus 24 kg/m2) corresponded to a 19% elevated threat. Moreover, after accounting for BMI, excessive WC nonetheless remained a threat issue for obesity-related most cancers in males. This means that the elevated threat related to belly adiposity is particular, and never defined by excessive physique dimension alone, as measured by BMI.
Amongst ladies, the associations have been weaker and related for each WC and BMI. For instance, each a rise of about 12 cm in waist circumference (e.g., evaluating WC of 91.8 cm vs. 80.0 cm) and a rise of 4.3 kg/m2 in BMI (e.g., BMI of 28.3 kg/m2 vs. 24 kg/m2) have been each related to a 13% greater threat of growing obesity-related cancers.
The authors clarify, “BMI is a measure of physique dimension, however doesn’t present data on fats distribution, whereas waist circumference is a proxy extra intently associated to belly adiposity.
“This distinction is crucial because visceral fat, which accumulates around the abdominal organs, is more metabolically active and has been implicated in adverse health outcomes, including insulin resistance, inflammation, and abnormal blood fat levels. Consequently, individuals with similar BMIs may have distinct cancer risks due to differences in fat distribution.”
On the distinction between women and men, they mirror, “A believable clarification is that males usually tend to retailer fats viscerally, whereas ladies usually accumulate extra subcutaneous and peripheral fats. Consequently, waist circumference is a extra correct measure of visceral fats in males than in ladies.
“This may make waist circumference a stronger risk factor of cancer in men, and explain why waist circumference adds risk information beyond that conveyed by b in men, but not women.”
They counsel, “Including hip circumference into risk models may provide further insights into this sex difference and enhance the association between WC and cancer, particularly for women—this is because, especially in women, the combination of waist circumference and hip circumference give a better estimation of visceral fat than waist circumference alone.”
They go on to elucidate that analysis has indicated that adiposity, particularly central adiposity, results in greater concentrations of circulating insulin in males than in ladies.
This will likely additionally partly clarify why WC is extra strongly related to most cancers threat in males.
They are saying, “The divergence in how waist circumference and BMI relate to cancer risk between men and women underscores the complexity of the impact of adiposity on cancer development. It suggests that considering biological and physiological differences between the sexes might be helpful when assessing cancer risk. Further research is needed to explore these sex differences.”
They conclude, “Our research offers proof that waist circumference is a stronger threat issue than BMI for obesity-related cancers in males, however not in ladies. Moreover, waist circumference seems to offer extra threat data past that conveyed by BMI in males.
“The weaker contribution of WC past that of BMI in ladies could consequence from sex-specific interactions with adiposity measures, corresponding to with intercourse hormones, on obesity-related most cancers threat, or variations in how waist circumference and BMI mirror physique fats in males vs. ladies.
“Future research incorporating more precise measures of adiposity, along with comprehensive data on potential confounding factors, could further elucidate the relationship between body fat distribution and cancer risk.”
Extra data:
Journal of the Nationwide Most cancers Institute (2025)
Offered by
European Affiliation for the Examine of Weight problems
Quotation:
Waist circumference outshines BMI as obesity-related most cancers threat marker in males, however not ladies (2025, March 22)
retrieved 22 March 2025
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