title: Is obesity a risk factor for advanced colon polyps in males?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity is associated with an increased risk of development of colonic adenomatous polyps and colorectal cancer. However, the influence of obesity on the development of advanced colon polyps is not clear. We examined the relationship between advanced colon polyps and obesity in health check-up subjects in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 232 adenomatous polyp patients diagnosed with colonoscopy during cancer screening between January 2005 and June 2008 were included in this study. An advanced polyp was defined as an adenomatous polyp with one or more of the following features: (1) a diameter of 1cm or larger, (2) a villous histology, and (3) high-grade dysplasia or adenocarcinoma. Total fat area, visceral fat area, and subcutaneous fat area were measured using abdominal computed tomography to evaluate abdominal obesity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 232 patients, 175 (75.43%) were male and 57 (24.57%) were female. Among the 232 patients, 77 patients (33.2%) had advanced polyps. Furthermore, males with advanced polyp had a significantly higher BMI, total abdominal fat area, and visceral fat area than females. Advanced polyps were positively associated with polyp number, BMI, total fat area, subcutaneous fat area, and visceral fat area in males with multivariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that abdominal obesity is associated with the presence of advanced colon polyps in male.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jai Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Hang Lak
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong Won
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chang Ryeol
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D012307:Risk Factors