Overweight in childhood cancer survivors: the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

Fabiën N Belle; Annette Weiss; Matthias Schindler; Myrofora Goutaki; Murielle Bochud; Karin Zimmermann; Nicolas von der Weid; Roland A Ammann; Claudia E Kuehni

doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqx006

Overweight in childhood cancer survivors: the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

Am J Clin Nutr. 2018 Jan 1;107(1):3-11. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqx006.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
² Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
³ Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zürich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁴ University Children's Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
⁵ Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital.
⁶ Children's University Hospital of Bern, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

PMID: 29381792
DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqx006

Abstract

Background: An increased risk of becoming overweight has been reported for childhood cancer survivors (CCSs), in particular leukemia survivors, although the evidence is inconclusive.

Objective: We assessed the prevalence of overweight in CCSs, with a focus on leukemia survivors, compared it with their peers, and determined potential risk factors.

Design: As part of the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, we sent a questionnaire between 2007 and 2013 to all Swiss resident CCSs aged <21 y at diagnosis who had survived ≥5 y. We calculated body mass index (BMI) from medical records at diagnosis and self-reported heights and weights at survey. We calculated BMI z scores by using Swiss references for children and compared overweight prevalence in CCSs, their siblings, and the general population with the use of the Swiss Health Survey (SHS) and assessed risk factors for being overweight by using multivariable logistic regression.

Results: The study included 2365 CCSs, 819 siblings, and 9591 SHS participants. At survey, at an average of 15 y after diagnosis, the prevalence of overweight in CCSs overall (26%) and in leukemia survivors (26%) was similar to that in siblings (22%) and the general population (25%). Risk factors for being overweight in CCSs were male sex (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.5, 2.1), both young (OR for ages 5-14 y: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.2, 2.3) and older (range-OR for ages 25-29 y: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.2, 2.4; OR for ages 40-45 y: 4.0; 95% CI: 2.5, 6.5) age at study, lower education (OR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1, 1.8), migration background (OR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1, 1.7), and no sports participation (OR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1, 1.7). Risk factors for overweight were similar in peers. CCSs treated with cranial radiotherapy (≥20 Gy) were more likely to be overweight than their peers (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.2, 2.2).

Conclusions: The prevalence of and risk factors for being overweight are similar in long-term CCSs and their peers. This suggests that prevention methods can be the same as in the general population. An important exception is CCSs treated with cranial radiotherapy ≥20 Gy who may need extra attention during follow-up care. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03297034.

Keywords: Europe; Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry; childhood cancer survivors; late effects; leukemia; obesity; overweight.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Body Mass Index
Cancer Survivors*
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Leukemia / diagnosis
Leukemia / radiotherapy
Logistic Models
Male
Medical Records
Middle Aged
Overweight / epidemiology*
Prevalence
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Socioeconomic Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires
Switzerland / epidemiology
Young Adult

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT03297034