Obesity, weight changes, and risk of cancer and mortality in the Obesity and Disease Development Sweden (ODDS) study

The connection of obesity with major chronic diseases and mortality is well-known; however, knowledge is scarce for rarer diseases, time-related trends, and for other obesity-related markers than a single measure of body mass index (BMI, kg/m2).We will form a Swedish nationwide database of millions of men and women with anthropometric information, linked to national registers, to comprehensively investigate the associations between obesity measures and the risk of common and rare forms of cancer and causes of death.

We will:Harmonise and summarise the data in a Cohort profile article – the ODDS studyInvestigate age- and calendar time-trends in the association between BMI and mortalityInvestigate BMI and weight changes in relation to cancer and mortalityInvestigate BMI and cardiometabolic disease (any CVD, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes) combined in relation to cancer and mortalityInvestigate waist circumference, as main effect and combined with BMI and cardiometabolic disease, in relation to cancer and mortalityThe results of this large-scale project will elucidate specific harmful obesity-related features, such as identifying any critical age-periods of weight gain on risk of cancer and mortality, and understanding the interplay between general and central obesity with cardiometabolic disease on risk.

The findings will ultimately contribute to evidence-based prevention strategies, by pinpointing obesity-related focus areas for optimised disease prevention.