Metabolism
Does childhood body size itself raise colorectal cancer risk?
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
MR of UK Biobank and 125,478 CRC participants suggests early-life larger body size raises CRC odds only until adult BMI is accounted for.
How this study connects
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Study at a glance
- Design
- Mendelian randomisation — Univariable and multivariable MR of early-life body size vs adult BMI with colorectal cancer GWAS
- N
- N=125478 · CRC GWAS meta-analysis of 125,478 participants; body-size GWAS from 453,169 UK Biobank participants
- Population
- UK Biobank body-size GWAS plus three colorectal-cancer consortia (summary statistics)
- Outcome
- Odds of colorectal, colon, distal colon, and proximal colon cancer for genetically predicted early-life vs adult body size
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Inspect source passages
Does childhood body size itself raise colorectal cancer risk?
These passages occur verbatim in the stored paper text. They support the points listed below; they do not verify every statement in the explanation.
Body-size GWAS used 453,169 UK Biobank participants; CRC GWAS 125,478.
Summary data were obtained from a genome-wide association study of 453,169 participants in UK Biobank for body size and from a genome-wide association study meta-analysis of three colorectal cancer consortia of 125,478 participants.
Adult genetically predicted body size: CRC OR 1.27 (95% CI 1.03–1.57).
Genetically predicted adult life body size was estimated to increase odds of colorectal (OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.57), colon (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.67), and proximal colon (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.21, 2.05).
Key findings
Early-life body size OR for CRC 1.12 (0.98–1.27), colon 1.16, distal colon 1.25 (1.04–1.51). After multivariable MR for adult size, early-life effects attenuated (CRC OR 0.97). Adult body size still raised CRC (OR 1.27), colon (1.32), and proximal colon (1.57) odds.
Methodology
Used univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization: genetically predicted self-perceived body size at age 10 and adult BMI (mean age 56.5) from 453,169 UK Biobank participants, against CRC GWAS meta-analysis of 125,478 people.
Limitations
MR depends on instrument assumptions and self-perceived childhood size; it does not map a clinical weight-loss trial in children vs adults.
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