Body Mass Index and Breast Cancer Risks Among Igbo Women in Imo and Abia States, Nigeria: A Case Control Study

Abstract

Background: The association between body mass index (BMI) and breast cancer risk has been well recognized. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of BMI with breast cancer risks among women of Igbo origin in Imo and Abia states in South Eastern Nigeria. Methods: The study was conducted at three different locations: Abia State University Teaching Hospital Aba, Abia State; Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State; and the Maranatha Specialist Mission Hospital, Aba, Abia State. This was a prospective hospital-based case control study. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics and anthropometric measures using a structured questionnaire. Collected data were imported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. In all, 681 patients participated in the study of which 347 were cases and 334 were controls. The T-test was used to assess statistical differences of height, weight, and BMI in the studied groups. Logistic regressions were used to calculate the multivariate odds ratio (OR) using 95% confidence interval (CI) with significant level set at p>0.05. Results: Higher BMI is associated with increased risk of breast cancer. There was a significant statistical difference between the height of cases and controls in both pre-and post-menopausal women. The mean value of height was 161.14± 7.1cm among cases compared to controls which was 161.39 cm (p <0.05). The mean weight among cases was 66.34 ± 11.8kg compared to controls at 65.45 ± 9.2kg (p<0.05); the mean BMI was 25.6± 4.8kg/m2 among cases compared to controls 25.1± 4.6 kg/m2  (p<0.05). Conclusion and Implications For Translation: Primary prevention measures are important to modestly curtail the increasing burden of obesity and high BMI. By controlling the weight, through physical activities, changes in diet and modestly alcohol intake will reduce the risk of breast cancer.