A cross-sectional analysis of the associations between adult height, BMI and serum concentrations of IGF-I and IGFBP-1 -2 and -3 in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).
BACKGROUND
Height and BMI are risk factors for several types of cancer and may be related to circulating concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), a peptide associated with increased cancer risk.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the associations between height, BMI and serum concentrations of IGF-I and IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-1, -2 and -3.


METHODS
This cross-sectional analysis included 1142 men and 3589 women aged 32-77 years from the multi-centre study, the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).


RESULTS
In men, there was a positive association between height and IGF-I; each 10 cm increment in height was associated with an increase in IGF-I concentrations of 4.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-7.5%, p for trend = 0.005), but this association was not statistically significant for women (0.9%, 95% CI: - 0.7 to 2.6%, p for trend = 0.264). In both men and women, the association between IGF-I and BMI was non-linear and those with a BMI of 26-27 kg/m² had the highest IGF-I concentration. BMI was strongly inversely related to concentrations of IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2 in men and in women (p for trend for all < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Height and BMI are associated with IGF-I and its binding proteins, which may be mechanisms through which body size contributes to increased risk of several cancers.
Crowe
Francesca L
FL
Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, UK. francesca.crowe@ceu.ox.ac.uk
Key
Timothy J
TJ
Allen
Naomi E
NE
Appleby
Paul N
PN
Overvad
Kim
K
Grønbæk
Henning
H
Tjønneland
Anne
A
Halkjær
Jytte
J
Dossus
Laure
L
Boeing
Heiner
H
Kröger
Janine
J
Trichopoulou
Antonia
A
Zylis
Dimosthenis
D
Trichopoulos
Dimitrios
D
Boutron-Ruault
Marie-Christine
MC
de Lauzon-Guillain
Blandine
B
Clavel-Chapelon
Françoise
F
Palli
Domenico
D
Berrino
Franco
F
Panico
Salvatore
S
Tumino
Rosario
R
Sacerdote
Carlotta
C
Bueno-de-Mesquita
H Bas
HB
van Gils
Carla H
CH
Peeters
Petra H M
PH
Gram
Inger T
IT
Rodríguez
Laudina
L
Jakszyn
Paula
P
Molina-Montes
Esther
E
Navarro
Carmen
C
Barricarte
Aurelio
A
Larrañaga
Nerea
N
Khaw
Kay-Tee
KT
Rodwell
Sheila
S
Rinaldi
Sabina
S
Slimani
Nadia
N
Norat
Teresa
T
Gallo
Valentina
V
Riboli
Elio
E
Kaaks
Rudolf
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 / Q000097:blood*; D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2 / Q000097:blood*; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012307:Risk Factors
D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1; D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I