Slovaks’ awareness of obesity as a risk factor for cancer of the digestive system and other organs

Czech version

Authors: P. Minárik ¹; P. Mlkvý ²; D. Mináriková ³
Authors‘ workplace: Gastroenterologické oddelenie, Onkologický ústav sv. Alžbety, Bratislava ¹; Oddelenie laserovej medicíny, Onkologický ústav sv. Alžběty, Bratislava ²; Katedra organizácie a riadenia farmácie, Farmaceutická fakulta UK, Bratislava ³
Published in: Gastroent Hepatol 2014; 68(5): 392-400
Category: Gastrointestinal Oncology: Original Article
doi: https://doi.org/10.14735/amgh2014392

Overview

Obesity is now recognized as a substantial factor that is involved in the development of cancer of the esophagus, gall bladder, pancreas, colon and rectum, breast (postmenopausal), endometrium and kidney. Public awareness about health risks of obesity in relation to cancer is a natural prerequisite for primary cancer prevention, which should lead to lifestyle modification aiming to achieve and to maintain healthy weight.

Objective:
The present study investigated the basic level the Slovak population’s knowledge of obesity as a risk factor for malignant tumors. The study evaluated also the effect of gender, age, education, place of residence, income, the BMI and the presence or absence of cancer on the obesity – cancer link knowledge.

Methods:
A prospective survey was conducted using questionnaire distributed among randomized respondents; the methodology was based on the CDC / BRFSS Questionnaire 2012. The results were evaluated using standard statistical methods.

Results:
The survey involved a total of 934 respondents, of whom 49.3% had excess body weight (BMI ≥ 25). The incidence of cancer in this group was more than two times higher than it was in the group of normal weight respondents. 43.5% of the respondents with cancer were overweight, 47.7% of the respondents with cancer were obese, compared to the normal weight respondents with only 19.5% cancer incidence. Almost all respondents with cancer suffered from one of the seven types of cancer for which obesity is considered to be a convincingly demonstrated risk factor. The survey found a relatively high level of general knowledge of obesity as a cancer risk factor (73.8%). The education level was the only factor with statistically significant effect on the level of knowledge. Moreover, the age of the respondents in combination with education had an additional impact on this knowledge. The lowest knowledge was detected in respondents with primary education (51.5%, p = 0.011), irrespective of their age. Respondents with secondary and university education showed almost identical knowledge (74.7% and 74.9%), while the best knowledge was found in respondents with secondary and university education being older than 70 years of age (88%, p = 0.035). Gender, age, place of residence, income, BMI and cancer disease had no significant impact on the knowledge level.

Conclusion:
The paper presents the results of the first cancer awareness study in Slovakia. It has shown that the knowledge of obesity as a cancer risk factor has been mainly influenced by education, and specifically by education in combination with age. In our sample, respondents with primary education showed the lowest level of knowledge, regardless of their age. In the group with secondary and university education the knowledge level was higher in respondents who were older than 70 years of age.

Key words:
obesity – cancer – awareness study – risk factors – education – age – BMI

The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study.

The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE „uniform requirements“ for biomedical papers.

Submitted:
29. 8. 2014

Accepted:
7. 10. 2014

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