Post-40 weight gain decreases survival

Women sometimes feel there is nothing they can do to improve their chances of survival after a breast cancer diagnosis. Yet, there is, according to scientists at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill--do not gain weight after age 40. Their study shows premenopausal women who gain more than 35 pounds after age 20--prior to breast cancer diagnosis--are two times less likely to survive the disease, and postmenopausal women who gain more than 29 pounds after age 50 are nearly three times less likely to survive. Maintaining weight was not associated with increased risk.

"Our results demonstrate the importance of weight management, particularly during the perimenopausal and postmenopausal years. Weight gain between the ages of 40 and 50 in particular substantially decreases the likelihood of surviving breast cancer," stresses Rebecca Cleveland, research assistant professor of nutrition.

"Since the number of women surviving breast cancer continues to rise globally, identifying a modifiable risk factor is important information for women."

"We have known for some time that obesity at the time of diagnosis of breast cancer increases the risk of dying from the disease," explains Marilie Gammon, professor of epidemiology. "Few studies have explored whether weight gain leading up to diagnosis can influence survival after a breast cancer diagnosis."

Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30. BMI, calculated from a person's weight and height, provides a reliable indicator of fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.

COPYRIGHT 2008 Society for the Advancement of Education
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning