Adiposity, physical activity, and pancreatic cancer in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Cohort.
Obesity and lack of physical activity have been inconsistently associated with pancreatic cancer. Using data from a self-administered baseline questionnaire (1995-1996), the authors investigated the association between adiposity and physical activity and pancreatic cancer in 495,035 participants of the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study who were aged 50-71 years. To avoid the influence of subclinical disease, follow-up time started 1 year after baseline, and subjects with a body mass index (BMI) of <18.5 kg/m(2) were excluded. A subcohort (n = 302,060) completed a second questionnaire with information about physical activity and waist and hip circumference. During follow-up though 2000, 654 pancreatic cancer cases were identified. The authors used Cox proportional hazard models to generate adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Compared with those with a BMI of 18.5-<25, those with a BMI of >/=35 had a 45% greater pancreatic cancer risk (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 2.02; p(trend) = 0.02). Significant positive associations for BMI were observed among nonsmokers (for BMI > or =35: hazard ratio = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.53; p(trend) = 0.004) but not recent smokers (p(interaction) = 0.08). Waist circumference was positively associated with pancreatic cancer (fourth vs. first quartile: hazard ratio = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.13, 5.65; p(trend) = 0.04) in women but not men. The authors observed no association with physical activity. Their results suggest a positive association between adiposity and pancreatic cancer.
Stolzenberg-Solomon
Rachael Z
RZ
Nutritional Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, MD, USA. rs221z@nih.gov
Adams
Kenneth
K
Leitzmann
Michael
M
Schairer
Catherine
C
Michaud
Dominique S
DS
Hollenbeck
Albert
A
Schatzkin
Arthur
A
Silverman
Debra T
DT
D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology