Abstract Background Black breast cancer (BC) survivors face a disproportionately high burden of obesity, which may detrimentally impact health-related quality of life (QoL). This study examines the relationship between various adiposity measures—body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), percentage body fat (BF), and fat mass index (FMI)—and QoL in Black BC survivors participating in the Women’s Circle of Health Follow-Up Study, a New Jersey-based population cohort. Methods We analyzed data from 785 women aged 20–75, diagnosed with BC between 2012 and 2019. Participants completed interviews approximately 10 months (visit 1) and 24 months (visit 2) post-diagnosis. Adiposity measures were recorded at visit 1, while QoL was evaluated at visit 2 using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Breast (FACT-B) overall score and subscales (physical, emotional, functional, social well-being, and BC-specific subscale). Multivariable robust Poisson regression models were used to estimate risk ratios for the association between adiposity and QoL, dichotomized as low/high based on sample medians. Results High levels of general and central obesity were prevalent (58% and 75%, respectively). Women with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m 2 had a 54% higher risk of lower overall QoL compared to those with BMI 18.5–24.9 (RR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.19–2.00). Elevated risk of low QoL was also observed for higher quartiles of waist circumference, BF, and FMI, primarily in physical well-being and BC-specific subscales. Conclusion Higher adiposity is significantly associated with lower QoL among Black BC survivors. Implications for Cancer Survivors Maintaining a healthy weight may support long-term QoL in Black BC survivors.
Sánchez-Díaz et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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