Anthropometric characteristics and mammographic parenchymal patterns in post-menopausal women: a population-based study in Northern Greece.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of various anthropometric determinants on mammographic patterns at postmenopausal ages, accounting for reproductive differences.


METHODS
Mammograms from 900 post-menopausal women classified into high- (P2/DY) versus low-density (N1/P1) groups using the Wolfe criteria were associated with changes in body figure, reported and measured height and weight, body mass index, hip, waist and chest circumferences, chest/hip ratio, waist/hip ratio (WHR), breast size, and leg length. Reproductive factors included ages at menarche, first pregnancy and menopause, years since menopause, parity, and breast feeding duration. The study was nested within a large cross-sectional survey of a population-based breast cancer screening program in Northern Greece.


RESULTS
Increasing chest circumference (p = 0.002), change in body build during adulthood to a heavier profile (p = 0.04), and heavy somatotype at age 18 (p = 0.007) were the anthropometric determinants significantly associated with low-density mammographic patterns.


CONCLUSIONS
Chest circumference as a measure of upper body fat adiposity appears to be a stronger determinant of mammographic patterns than body fat distribution (measured as WHR). A heavy body build in adulthood is associated with decreased mammographic density. Further studies are necessary to confirm our results, ideally prospective cohorts, looking at the effect of anthropometric determinants on mammographic pattern changes over time and breast cancer risk.
Riza
Elena
E
Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK. eriza@med.uoa.gr
Remoundos
Dionysios-Dennis
DD
Bakali
Evangelia
E
Karadedou-Zafiriadou
Efi
E
Linos
Dimitrios
D
Linos
Athena
A
D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001940:Breast / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D055703:Reproductive Physiological Phenomena; D012307:Risk Factors; D013008:Somatotypes