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Breast cancer risk rises with
postmenopausal weight gain
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Gaining weight in adulthood increases a
woman's risk of breast cancer, study findings published in the Journal of
the American Medical Association indicate.
"These data suggest that weight gain during adult life, specifically since
the menopause, increases the risk of breast cancer among postmenopausal
women, whereas weight loss after menopause is associated with a decreased
risk of breast cancer," A Heather Eliassen (Brigham and Women's Hospital,
Boston, Massachusetts, USA) and co-authors comment.
"Thus, in addition to other known benefits of healthy weight, our results
provide another reason for women approaching menopause to maintain or lose
weight, as appropriate."
The team examined data from the Nurses' Health Study, with weight gain since
age 18 years determined in 87,143 women and since menopause in 49,514 women,
who were followed-up for a maximum of 26 and 24 years, respectively. |
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The researchers found that women who gained at least 25 kg since age 18
years were 45% more likely to develop breast cancer than those who
maintained their weight, with the relative risk rising to 1.98 for those who
had never taken postmenopausal hormone therapy.
Furthermore, 10 kg or greater weight gain since the menopause was linked to
an 18% increased risk, compared with weight maintenance. In contrast, among
women who had never used hormone replacement therapy, losing and maintaining
at least 10 kg of weight since the menopause reduced breast cancer risk by
57%.
Thus, up to 15% of breast cancer cases in the overall study population were
attributable to weight gain of 2.0 kg or more since age 18, and 4.4% were
linked to a similar gain since menopause, the team states.
For women who had not taken postmenopausal hormones, the corresponding
attributable risks were 24.2% and 7.6%.
"Although weight loss less to several short-term benefits, these data
provide another reason women should be advised to avoid weight gain and
counseled on the potential benefit of weight loss after menopause," Eliassen
et al write.
While acknowledging their findings show "it is never too late to lose weight
to decrease risk," the investigators suggest that "emphasis must also remain
on weight maintenance throughout adult life."
J Am Med Assoc 2006; 296: 185–192
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