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Obesity and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Meta-analysis of 31 Studies with 70,000 Events

The George Institute for International Health, Sydney, Australia

Requests for reprints: Rachel Huxley, The George Institute for International Health, P.O. Box M201, Missenden Road, Sydney, NSW 2050 Australia. Phone: 61-2-9657-0358; Fax: 61-2-9657-0301. E-mail: rhuxley{at}thegeorgeinstitute.org

Background: Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of death and illness in developed countries. Previous reviews have suggested that obesity may be associated with 30% to 60% greater risk of colorectal cancer, but little consideration was given to the possible effect of publication bias on the reported association.

Methods: Relevant studies were identified through EMBASE and MEDLINE. Studies were included if they had published quantitative estimates of the association between general obesity [defined here as body mass index (BMI) 30 kg/m²] and central obesity (measured using waist circumference) and colorectal cancer. Random-effects meta-analyses were done, involving 70,000 cases of incident colorectal cancer from 31 studies, of which 23 were cohort studies and 8 were case-control studies.

Results: After pooling and correcting for publication bias, the estimated relative risk of colorectal cancer was 1.19 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.11-1.29], comparing obese (BMI 30 kg/m²) with normal weight (BMI <25 kg/m²) people; and 1.45 (95% CI, 1.31-1.61), comparing those with the highest, to the lowest, level of central obesity. After correcting for publication bias, the risk of colorectal cancer was 1.41 (95% CI, 1.30-1.54) in men compared with 1.08 (95% CI, 0.98-1.18) for women (P_{heterogeneity} <0.001). There was evidence of a dose-response relationship between BMI and colorectal cancer: for a 2 kg/m² increase in BMI, the risk of colorectal cancer increased by 7% (4-10%). For a 2-cm increase in waist circumference, the risk increased by 4% (2-5%).

Conclusions: Obesity has a direct and independent relationship with colorectal cancer, although the strength of the association with general obesity is smaller than previously reported. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(12):2533–47)

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