Childhood body size and midlife mammographic breast density in foreign-born and U.S.-born women in New York City

Abstract

Purpose: We investigated whether childhood body size is associated with midlife mammographic density, a strong risk factor for breast cancer.

Methods: We collected interview data, including body size at age 10 years using a pictogram, and measured height and weight from 518 women, recruited at the time of screening mammography in New York City (ages 40-64 years, 71% Hispanic, 68% foreign-born). We used linear regression models to examine childhood body size in relation to percent density and areas of dense and nondense tissue, measured using a computer-assisted method from digital mammograms.

Results: In models that adjusted for race/ethnicity, and age and body mass index at mammogram, the heaviest relative to leanest childhood body size was associated with 5.94% lower percent density (95% confidence interval [CI]: -9.20, -2.29), 7.69 cm² smaller dense area (95% CI: -13.94, -0.63), and 26.17 cm² larger nondense area (95% CI: 9.42, 43.58). In stratified analysis by menopausal status and nativity, the observed associations were stronger for postmenopausal and U.S.-born women although these differences did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions: Heavy childhood body size is associated with lower mammographic density, consistent with its associations with breast cancer risk. Suggestive findings by nativity require confirmation in larger samples.

Keywords: Body size; Breast cancer; Childhood; Mammographic breast density.