NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study: Prospective Study of Adiposity [Body Fat] and Weight Change in Relation to Prostate Cancer
Summary
The incidence of prostate cancer has been increasing dramatically, as has the prevalence of overweight and obesity in most developed countries. In 2000, nearly two-thirds of adults in the United States were classified as overweight or obese.
This NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study investigates some of the questions and theories that have been raised about the possible existence and nature of a relationship between adiposity or body fat and prostate cancer. The 287,760 men who participated in the study were between ages 50 and 71 at enrollment in 1995-1996, and resided in one of six states (California, Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, North Carolina and Louisiana), or in metropolitan Atlanta or Detroit. The participants completed questionnaires about their usual dietary intake, current height and weight, and other risk factors, and responded to follow-up queries about their weight at age 18 and prostate cancer screening procedures performed during the three years prior to enrollment.
A total of 9,986 prostate cancers were identified among the study cohort during five years of follow-up (1995 to 2000), and 173 prostate cancer deaths occurred during six years of follow-up (1995 and 2001). The mean age was 62.1 years and the average body-mass index (BMI) was 27.3 kg/m2. BMI is determined by dividing one’s weight by his or her height squared (multiplied by itself). Of the men measured:
- 21% had BMIs of 30.0 or more, and were classified as obese
- 50% had BMIs between 25 and 29.9, and were classified as overweight
- 29% had BMIs of 25 or less, which is considered normal
Although adiposity was not related positively to the incidence of prostate cancer, high BMIs and weight gain during adulthood increased the risk of dying from prostate cancer. In other words, a man might not get prostate cancer simply because he is overweight, but if he does develop a prostate tumor, having a high BMI increases his risk of dying from it.
View the abstract or visit the study website to learn more about the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study.
Further information about the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study may also be obtained by contacting Nancy Wood of AARP at media@aarp.org or 202-434-2583.
