Can Waist Size Increase A Man´s Chance Of Dying From Prostate Cancer?
(Marcella S, et al. ASCO Annual 2005;abstract #4626, page 409.) This is a great study because many other studies have just looked at BMI or just stepping on a scale and measuring weight. These researchers decided to look at the waist size or the belly fat area. It is the belly fat that is associated with bad changes in cholesterol and unfavorable changes in hormone levels. Anyhow, they found that in 380 cases of men that died from prostate cancer compared to a similar number of controls, that having a waist size of 40 inches or more was associated with 3.8 times the risk of death from prostate cancer compared to men with a waist of 32 inches or less. Regardless, carrying a lot of belly fat is not healthy overall so this should be measured and discussed with your doctor. However, there is another point that does not get mentioned much in these studies. When a man has his testosterone reduced for prostate cancer there is an increased chance of gaining some belly fat. So, it is also possi
