Obesity and height in urban Nigerian women with breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between obesity, height, and breast cancer in an urban Nigerian population.


METHODS
Between March 1998 and August 2000, we conducted a case-control study of hospital-based breast cancer patients (n = 234) and population-based controls (n = 273) using nurse interviewers in urban Southwestern Nigeria.


RESULTS
The study did not find a significant association between obesity (BMI >/= 30) and breast cancer among all women (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 0.87-2.62) pre- (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.56-2.60) and post-menopausal breast cancer patients (OR = 1.82, 95% CI = 0.78-4.31) in multivariate logistic regression analysis, while increasing height was positively associated with the risk of breast cancer among all women (OR = 1.05, 1.01 - 1.08), pre- (1.06, 1.01-1.10) and post-menopausal women (1.07, 1.01-1.13) for each cm. Age, irregular period, and early age of onset of periods were also found to be significantly associated with breast cancer risk.


CONCLUSIONS
This study failed to demonstrate an association between breast cancer risk and obesity while showing that height is positively associated with risk of breast cancer in urbanized Nigerian women.
Adebamowo
Clement A
CA
Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. clement.adebamowo@channing.harvard.edu
Ogundiran
Temidayo O
TO
Adenipekun
Adeniyi A
AA
Oyesegun
Rasheed A
RA
Campbell
Oladapo B
OB
Akang
Effiong U
EU
Rotimi
Charles N
CN
Olopade
Olufunmilayo I
OI
D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology; D017697:Premenopause / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health; D015430:Weight Gain