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Lifestyle determinants of serum insulin-like growth-factor-I (IGF-I), C-peptide and hormone binding protein levels in British women

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Abstract

Objective: This study aims to identify the lifestyle determinants of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and its main binding proteins (IGFBPs), C-peptide, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) to help elucidate the mechanism through which lifestyle factors may affect cancer risk. Methods: This study is based on a sample of 292 British women, aged 20–70 years, whose lifestyle characteristics were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire and whose serum hormone concentrations were measured using immunoassays. Results: Age was a strong determinant of both IGF-I and IGFBP levels; women aged 65–70 years had significantly lower IGF-I and IGFBP-3 concentrations and significantly higher IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2 concentrations than women aged 20–24 years. Body mass index (BMI) was not strongly associated with IGF-I, although women with a BMI of 26–27.9 kg/m2 had a higher IGF-I concentration compared with both lean (BMI <20 kg/m2) and obese (BMI 30+ kg/m2) women. However, obese women had a significantly higher C-peptide and IGFBP-3 concentration and a significantly lower IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2, and SHBG concentration compared with lean women. Increasing vigorous exercise was associated with a significantly lower C-peptide concentration and increasing leisure-time activity was associated with a significantly higher IGFBP-1 concentration. Other lifestyle factors such as job activity, smoking, and reproductive factors were not associated with any hormone. Conclusions: Our data show that age is a major determinant of both IGF-I and its main binding proteins in women. BMI has strong effects on IGFBPs, C-peptide, and SHBG, but its effects on IGF-I remain unclear. The possible effect of physical activity on IGFBP-1 requires further investigation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Research UK Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Gibson Building, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, OX2 6HE, UK

    Naomi E. Allen

  2. Cancer Research UK Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, OX2 6HE, UK

    Paul N. Appleby, Gwyneth K. Davey & Timothy J. Key

  3. International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 Cours Albert-Thomas, 69372, Lyon Cedex 08, France

    Rudolf Kaaks & Sabina Rinaldi

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  1. Naomi E. Allen
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  2. Paul N. Appleby
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Correspondence to Naomi E. Allen.

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Allen, N.E., Appleby, P.N., Kaaks, R. et al. Lifestyle determinants of serum insulin-like growth-factor-I (IGF-I), C-peptide and hormone binding protein levels in British women. Cancer Causes Control 14, 65–74 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022518321634

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