Figure 4.

Modelled associations between body-mass index (BMI) and colon, liver, breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers and malignant melanoma, including detected non-linearities and effect modification

Curves for each cancer type estimated from models with BMI fitted as a spline, adjusted for age, calendar year, diabetes status, smoking, alcohol use, socioeconomic status (index of multiple deprivation). Stratified curves were produced by adding interaction terms with the BMI spline basis. For estimated effect modification by sex, smoking, menopausal status, and present age for all cancer types, see appendix pp 9–12. Estimated HRs per 5 kg/m² derived from best fitting piecewise linear or linear model (with Akaike information criterion used to select optimal knots or thresholds). HR=hazard ratio.