Body mass index and physical activity as risk factors for pancreatic cancer: the Multiethnic Cohort Study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine body mass index (BMI) and physical activity as risk factors for pancreatic cancer.


METHODS
Eight-year prospective data from 77,255 men and 90,175 women including 237 and 235 pancreatic cancer cases, respectively, in the Hawaii-Los Angeles Multiethnic Cohort Study were analyzed. Participants completed a questionnaire that included questions on body weight, height, and physical activity. Cox proportional hazards models were calculated to estimate relative risks (RR) of pancreatic cancer by levels of BMI and total physical activity (as metabolic equivalents (METs)) adjusted for several potential confounders.


RESULTS
Obesity (BMI > or = 30 kg/m(2)) was associated with an increased pancreatic cancer risk in men (RR = 1.51 (95% CI: 1.02-2.26)), but a reduced risk in women (RR = 0.65 (95% CI: 0.43-0.99)). In men the risk was higher in never smokers than in current or former smokers, though differences were not statistically significant. Physical activity was not associated with pancreatic cancer risk in either men or women.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest, that a BMI of > or = 30 kg/m(2) may be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer in men. No evidence of an effect of physical activity on risk was found.
Nöthlings
Ute
U
Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA. ute.noethlings@dife.de
Wilkens
Lynne R
LR
Murphy
Suzanne P
SP
Hankin
Jean H
JH
Henderson
Brian E
BE
Kolonel
Laurence N
LN
D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D001213:Asian; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006254:Hawaii / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012306:Risk; D012737:Sex Factors; D044465:White People