General Obesity and Prostate Cancer in Relation to Abdominal Obesity and Ethnic Groups: A US Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Anwar E Ahmed,1 Callista B Martin,2 Bassam Dahman,3 Gregory T Chesnut,4,5 Sean Q Kern4,5 1Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA; 2School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA; 3Department of Health Behavior and Policy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; 4Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA; 5Center for Prostate Disease Research, Murtha Cancer Center, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USACorrespondence: Anwar E Ahmed, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road A-1039D, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA, Tel +1 301-295-9756, Email [email protected]: Research suggests inconsistent evidence regarding the association between general obesity and prostate cancer among men in the United States. This study aimed to examine whether the association between general obesity and prostate cancer is influenced by abdominal obesity and ethnic groups.Methods: The study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The analysis was restricted to non-Hispanic men (10,683 White and 6,020 Black). Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 and abdominal obesity as waist circumference (WC) ≥ 102 cm.Results: No significant difference was identified in the overall prevalence of prostate cancer between obese and non-obese (2.14% vs 2.25%, P = 0.678). When both obesity measures were combined, the general and abdominal obesity category was associated with a significant increase in the odds of prostate cancer in Black men [odds ratio (OR) = 1.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.09, 2.04)], but not in White men [OR = 1.29, 95% CI (0.91, 1.82)]. In both Black [OR = 2.46, 95% CI (1.48, 4.06)] and White men [OR = 1.60, 95% CI (1.16, 2.21)], abdominal obesity was associated with significant increase in the odds of prostate cancer.Conclusion: The association between general obesity and prevalence of prostate cancer depends on abdominal obesity and ethnic groups. Our study utilized a nationally representative survey and emphasized the potential of combined effect of general and abdominal obesity as a modifiable factor to decrease racial disparity in prostate cancer screening and poor outcomes.Keywords: prostate cancer, waist circumference, obesity, Black men, racial disparity