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Decreasing 25‐hydroxy‐vitamin D levels account for portion of the effect of increasing body mass index on breast cancer mortality
Author(s) -
Morton Matthew L.,
Thompson Cheryl L.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
molecular nutrition and food research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.495
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1613-4133
pISSN - 1613-4125
DOI - 10.1002/mnfr.201200405
Subject(s) - breast cancer , overweight , medicine , body mass index , vitamin d and neurology , obesity , cancer , vitamin , endocrinology , physiology
Scope Increased body mass index ( BMI ) and decreased serum vitamin D are both known to be associated with increased mortality from breast cancer. However, vitamin D levels are lower in obese individuals in general. Recent studies have sought to determine whether serum vitamin D levels can account for some of the association between higher BMI and increased risk for breast cancer and found that low vitamin D levels in the overweight and obese account for up to 40% of the BMI ‐attributable risk of developing breast cancer. Methods and results Here we reviewed the literature to determine if a similar relationship exists between vitamin D, BMI , and breast cancer mortality. Utilizing previously reported independent associations of low vitamin D and high BMI to increases in breast cancer mortality, as well as the known decrement in vitamin D per unit increase in BMI , we estimated that low vitamin D levels may be responsible for roughly 16% of the increased mortality from breast cancer in overweight and obese patients. Conclusion Although this is a relatively small proportion of the effect of obesity, supplements to increase serum vitamin D levels may represent a way to reduce obesity‐associated disparities in breast cancer mortality.