J Korean Assoc Maxillofac Plast Reconstr Surg.  2011 Nov;33(6):512-519.

Association of Body Mass Index with Oral Cancer Risk

• Choi SW
• Lee JH
• Park JY
• Yun YM
• Kim MK

Abstract

PURPOSE
Although obesity is a well-established risk factor for many cancers, the effect of body mass index (BMI) on oral cancer risk remains controversial. We therefore investigated the effect of BMI on oral cancer risk in a case-control study in Korea.
METHODS
Overall, 364 patients with oral cancer and 439 community controls were enrolled. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using logistic regression models, adjusted for age, smoking status and alcohol consumption.
RESULTS
We found no overall significant evidence of an association between oral cancer risk and BMI in either gender. However, when the relationship between BMI and oral cancer risk was examined according to female age groups (<50 and > or =50 years), there was a significant association between oral cancer risk and high BMI in female subjects younger than 50 years of age (OR=3.92, 95% CI 1.03~14.9, P for trend=0.04), but not in older (> or =50 years) female subjects (OR=1.11, 95% CI 0.55~2.24, P for trend=0.76). There was no significant relationship between BMI and oral cancer risk in any of the male age subgroups.
CONCLUSION
Our study provides the first epidemiological evidence supporting an association between obesity and an increased risk of oral cancer.

Keyword

Oral cancer; Obesity; Body mass index

MeSH Terms

Body Mass Index
Case-Control Studies
Female
Humans
Logistic Models
Male
Mouth Neoplasms
Obesity
Odds Ratio
Risk Factors
Smoke
Smoking
Smoke