Weight Tied to Risk of Worst Prostate Cancers

Obesity appears to increase the risk of aggressive prostate cancer, especially in black men, a new study finds. The study included nearly 3,400 black men and almost 22,700 white men. When the study began, they were at least 55 years old and did not have prostate cancer. In the next 5½ years, blacks were 58% more likely to develop prostate cancer than whites. The increase in risk was greatly affected by weight. Among men of normal weight, blacks had a 28% higher risk of prostate cancer than white men. For very obese black men, the risk was 103% higher. And very obese black men were 81% more likely to have aggressive prostate cancer than black men of normal weight. This type of prostate cancer grows quickly. The link between obesity and prostate cancer was not as strong for white men.