Key clinical point: Low body mass index (BMI) increased the risk for gastric cancer in men and women, whereas high fasting glucose levels slightly increased the risk in women but not in men.
Major finding: Low BMI (<18.5 kg/m 2) increased the risk for gastric cancer in both men (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.39; P < .001) and women (aOR 1.48; P < .001). High fasting glucose levels (≥126 mg/dL) slightly elevated gastric cancer risk in women (aOR 1.19; P < .001) but not in men.
Study details: This prospective, population-based cohort study included 5174 million individuals (men, 43.1%) who underwent national gastric cancer screening and were followed up for 9 years.
Disclosures: This study was funded by the National R&D Program for Cancer Control, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea; and others. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Source: Nam SY et al. Sex-specific effect of body mass index and fasting glucose on gastric cancer risk and all causes mortality; a cohort study of 5.17 million. Int J Obes. 2022 (Jun 10). Doi: 10.1038/s41366-022-01161-9