WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

*Amna Muayad Hameed, Noura Abd-Alhussein Al-Jbouri, Amin Riyadh Sadeq Almukhta

ABSTRACT

Background: Breast cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women worldwide, with developing nations facing higher death rates due to inadequate awareness and limited early detection programs. Among several risk factors, body mass index (BMI) has been increasingly scrutinized for its potential association with breast cancer. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between BMI and the risk of breast cancer among women in Baghdad. Methods: A case-control study was conducted from February to July 2024 in Al-Karkh teaching hospitals in Baghdad. The study included 234 women, divided equally into 117 cases with histologically confirmed breast cancer and 117 age-matched controls without breast cancer. Data were collected from clinic records and analyzed using SPSS version 28. Results: The majority of participants in both groups were aged 40–50 years and married. A higher percentage of breast cancer cases resided in urban areas and had a higher educational level compared to controls. Statistically significant associations were found between breast cancer and several variables, including age at menarche, parity, hormonal contraceptive use, postmenopausal status, hypertension, smoking, family history of breast cancer, and high BMI (p < 0.05). No significant association was observed with age, diabetes mellitus, or family history of other cancers. Conclusion: The findings suggest a significant association between high BMI and increased breast cancer risk among women in Baghdad. These results underscore the importance of public health strategies focused on weight management and routine screening to aid in early detection and risk reduction.