A cross-sectional analysis of the associations between adult height, BMI and serum concentrations of IGF-I and IGFBP-1 -2 and -3 in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)

Francesca L. Crowe, Timothy J. Key, Naomi E. Allen, Paul N. Appleby, Kim Overvad, Henning Grønbæk, Anne Tjønneland, Jytte Halkjær, Laure Dossus, Heiner Boeing, Janine Kröger, Antonia Trichopoulou, Dimosthenis Zylis, Dimitrios Trichopoulos, Marie Christine Boutron-Ruault, Blandine De Lauzon-Guillain, Françoise Clavel-Chapelon, Domenico Palli, Franco Berrino, Salvatore PanicoRosario Tumino, Carlotta Sacerdote, H. Bas Bueno-De-Mesquita, Carla H. Van Gils, Petra H.M. Peeters, Inger T. Gram, Laudina Rodŕguez, Paula Jakszyn, Esther Molina-Montes, Carmen Navarro, Aurelio Barricarte, Nerea Larräaga, Kay Tee Khaw, Sheila Rodwell, Sabina Rinaldi, Nadia Slimani, Teresa Norat, Valentina Gallo, Elio Riboli, Rudolf Kaaks

Research output: Indexed journal article Articlepeer-review

67 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Height and BMI are risk factors for several types of cancer and may be related to circulating concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), a peptide associated with increased cancer risk. Aim: To assess the associations between height, BMI and serum concentrations of IGF-I and IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-1, -2 and -3. Subjects and methods: This cross-sectional analysis included 1142 men and 3589 women aged 32-77 years from the multi-centre study, the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Results: In men, there was a positive association between height and IGF-I; each 10 cm increment in height was associated with an increase in IGF-I concentrations of 4.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-7.5%, p for trend = 0.005), but this association was not statistically significant for women (0.9%, 95% CI: -0.7 to 2.6%, p for trend = 0.264). In both men and women, the association between IGF-I and BMI was non-linear and those with a BMI of 26-27 kg/m2 had the highest IGF-I concentration. BMI was strongly inversely related to concentrations of IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2 in men and in women (p for trend for all < 0.001). Conclusion: Height and BMI are associated with IGF-I and its binding proteins, which may be mechanisms through which body size contributes to increased risk of several cancers.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)194-202
Number of pages9
JournalAnnals of Human Biology
Volume38
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2011
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Body height
  • Body mass index
  • Insulin-like growth factor I
  • Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins
  • Obesity

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