Anthropometry, bone mineral density and risk of breast cancer in premenopausal and postmenopausal Saudi women

INTRODUCTION: Anthropometry and bone mineral density are linked to hormonal imbalance, which plays a possible role in breast carcinogenesis. The current study was designed to explore the relationship between selected anthropometric and bone mineral density parameters and the risk of breast cancer in premenopausal and postmenopausal Saudi women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out among premenopausal (n = 308) and postmenopausal (n = 148) women at two Medical Cities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from May 2015 to June 2016. Selected anthropometric measurements were obtained from 456 women; 213 of them had breast cancer. Bone mineral density was also measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Greater waist circumference was significantly correlated with a higher breast cancer risk in premenopausal women (OR = 1.02, p = 0.03) but not in postmenopausal women. Greater triceps skinfold thickness had been found to be significantly correlated with a higher risk of breast cancer in premenopausal (OR = 1.06, p = 0.001) and postmenopausal (OR = 1.06, p = 0.001) women. However, bone mineral density was not significantly associated with breast cancer risk in either group of participants. CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer risk was significantly associated with waist circumference and triceps skinfold thickness in premenopausal women and with only triceps skinfold thickness in postmenopausal women.