High body-mass index a risk factor for colon and rectal cancer in Asia during 1990 to 2019: a cross-national study

Abstract

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the third most prevalent cancer globally and is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Epidemiological evidence consistently establishes a correlation between obesity and colorectal cancer. The study aims to examine the prevalence of colorectal cancer in relation to high body mass index (BMI) across Asian countries. Methods: This population-based study utilized epidemiological data on colorectal cancer attributed to high BMI sourced from the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) 2019 database. The data encompassed deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and age-standardized rates, stratified by gender and country within the Asian continent. We assessed trends in mortality and DALYs from 1990 to 2019. Additionally, Pearson correlation analysis explored the association between Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) and the burden of colon and rectal cancer attributable to high BMI. Results: Asia documented the highest DALY attributed to high BMI, reaching 774.9 per 1000. Notably, death rates and DALYs associated with high BMI exhibited an upward trajectory with age. Vietnam (557.9%) and Nepal (367.6%) demonstrated the highest percentage changes in age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) from 1990 to 2019, while Vietnam (556.73%) and Indonesia (354.91%) led in age-standardized death rates (ASDR) changes. Results underscored a substantial increase in ASMR and ASDR attributed to high BMI in the Asian continent from 1990 to 2019, predominantly among men. Furthermore, we established a positive and significant correlation between ASMR and high BMI (r=0.72, p-value<0.0001). Conclusion: Given the observed rise in mortality and DALYs associated with colon and rectal cancer attributed to high BMI, particularly among men in developed countries, intervention measures aimed at mitigating this burden are imperative. This study highlights the urgency of implementing targeted interventions to reduce the impact of high BMI on colorectal cancer mortality and overall disease burden.