ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Gynecological Oncology
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1623926
Global Burden of Ovarian and Uterine Cancers Attributable to High Body-Mass Index in 204 Countries and Territories, 1990–2021
Provisionally accepted
- 1Department of Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- 2Department of Pharmacy , Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
- 3Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
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Background: High body mass index (BMI) is a well-established risk factor for ovarian and uterine cancer. However, the global, regional, and national burden of these cancers attributable to high BMI remains underexplored. This study quantifies the trends and disparities in the burden of ovarian and uterine cancer due to high BMI from 1990 to 2021 using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 dataset. Methods: We extracted data from GBD 2021 to estimate the mortality, incidence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to high BMI for ovarian and uterine cancer across different locations and time periods. We focused on the burden of ovarian and uterine cancers among women aged 20-49. Age-standardized rates (ASRs) were calculated, and temporal trends were analyzed using the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC). Regional and national disparities were assessed using sociodemographic index (SDI) classifications. Forecasts employed the exponential smoothing (ES) and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models. Results: Globally, the burden of ovarian and uterine cancer attributable to high BMI increased substantially from 1990 to 2021, with variations across regions and countries. High-income and upper-middle-income regions exhibited the highest ASRs, whereas low-SDI countries showed increasing trends in recent years. The EAPC analysis indicated a growing burden in developing regions, reflecting the rising prevalence of obesity. Age-stratified analysis revealed that middle-aged and older adults bear the highest burden. Conclusions: The global burden of ovarian and uterine cancer attributable to high BMI has increased significantly over the past three decades. Targeted interventions, including obesity prevention and cancer screening, are crucial for mitigating this burden, particularly in emerging high-risk regions. This is a provisional file, not the final typeset article These findings underscore the need for urgent public health strategies to address obesity-related cancer risks worldwide.
Keywords: ovarian cancer, Uterine Cancer, Obesity epidemiology, Global health disparities, Preventive interventions
Received: 13 May 2025; Accepted: 25 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Han, Hou, Qinghai, Hao, Zhang and Peng. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Xun Peng, pengxun7420@163.com
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