Researchers from Lund University in Malmo, Sweden, say a man’s waist size tells us more about their risk for developing cancer than body mass index (BMI) measurements.
BMI has long been leveraged to help diagnose obesity and draw conclusions about a person’s risk of cancer. Now, a study finds that waist circumference is a more accurate way to predict the risk in men and is at least as effective as using BMI in women.
This is not the first time BMI has been scrutinized for its effectiveness.
Earlier this year, The Dallas Express reported that a group of worldwide health experts recommended expanding the definition of obesity beyond BMI due to its inherent shortfalls. According to the Commission on Clinical Obesity, obesity should consider existing health issues and body fat measurements in addition to traditional BMI measurements.
Researchers of the recent survey examined the health records of 339,190 people between 1981 and 2019. The individuals were followed for an average of 14 years, during which time 18,185 developed cancer linked to obesity.
The authors of the study found that men with just over four extra inches on their waistlines had a 25% higher chance of developing cancer. However, a comparable one standard deviation rise in BMI increased the risk by a more modest 19%.
Another way to interpret the findings: two men with similar BMI scores but different fat distributions would possess different levels of cancer risk.
The difference was not material for women. The authors say this is because men are more inclined to store fat around their abdomens, while women typically store fat more evenly across their bodies.