title: Body mass index: a marker for significant colorectal neoplasia in a screening population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although some studies suggest a positive association between increasing body mass index (BMI) and risk for colorectal neoplasia, the impact on screening has not been examined. We performed a cross-sectional study to examine the association of BMI and colorectal neoplasia in a screening population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data collected for 2493 patients presenting for screening colonoscopy included known risk factors for colorectal neoplasia, demographic information, and lifestyle factors. Our outcome was the endoscopic detection of significant colorectal neoplasia which included adenocarcinoma, high-grade dysplasia, villous tissue, adenomas 1 cm or greater and multiple (>2) adenomas of any size.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, we observed an increased risk and prevalence for significant colorectal neoplasia in women as BMI increased (P value for trend <0.002). This relationship was the strongest for the women with a BMI > or =40 (odds ratios=4.26; 95% confidence intervals=2.00-9.11). There was no such relationship in our male population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increasing BMI, in our population, was associated with an increase risk for colorectal neoplasia in female patients. This study reinforces the importance of screening colonoscopy especially in obese women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA. jcanderson@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
authors.forename: Joseph C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Catherine R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.forename: Fouad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dakhllalah
authors.forename: Biju
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: Zvi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Alpern
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Hubbard
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grimson
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers