Gastric Cancer Risk in Association with Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Gastric cancer is the fifth most prevalent cancer in the world. The relationship between gastric cancer and underweight, overweight, and obesity is not fully understood yet. Obesity is a modifiable factor that has a positive association with some cancers. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association between gastric cancer risk and abnormal body mass index, as an indicator of abnormal weight. Based on our results, obesity and overweight increase the risk of gastric cancer, while underweight is not associated. These findings can help policymakers and healthcare providers to make preventive strategies for controlling obesity and overweight. ABSTRACT: This study aimed to investigate the risk of gastric cancer (GC) in abnormal body mass index (BMI) groups. A systematic search was carried out on Embase, PubMed/Medline, and Scopus from January 2000 to January 2023. The pooled risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was assessed using a random-effect model. Thirteen studies with total of 14,020,031 participants were included in this systematic review. The pooled RR of GC was 1.124 (95% CI, 0.968–1.304, I(2): 89.08%) in underweight class, 1.155 (95% CI, 1.051–1.270, I(2): 95.18%) in overweight class, and in 1.218 (95% CI, 1.070–1.386, I(2): 97.65%) obesity class. There is no difference between cardia and non-cardia gastric cancer, while non-Asian race and female gender have higher risk of cancer, as Meta-regression of obesity and overweight classes showed. These findings suggest that there is a positive association between excess body weight and the risk of GC, with a higher impact in women than men and in non-Asian than Asian populations. Since abnormal weight is tied to various diseases, including GC, healthcare experts, and policymakers should continue interventions aiming to achieve a normal BMI range.