Relationship of Anthropometric Measurements to Thyroid Nodules in a Chinese Population

Overview

Journal BMJ Open

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2015 Dec 23

PMID 26692553

Citations 31

Authors

Weimin Xu

Zexin Chen

Na Li

Hui Liu

Liangliang Huo

Yangmei Huang

Xingyi Jin

Jin Deng

Sujuan Zhu

Shanchun Zhang

Yunxian Yu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Previous studies have found that overweight and obesity are related to numerous diseases, including thyroid cancer and thyroid volume. This study evaluates the relationship between body size and the presence of thyroid nodules in a Chinese population.

Methods: A total of 6793 adults and 2410 children who underwent thyroid ultrasonography were recruited in this cross-sectional study in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, from March to October, 2010. Sociodemographic characteristics and potential risk factors of thyroid nodules were collected by questionnaire. Height and weight were measured using standard protocols. Associations of height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and body surface area (BSA) with the presence of thyroid nodules were evaluated using multiple logistic regression models.

Results: After adjustment for potential risk factors, an increased risk of thyroid nodule incidence was associated with height (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.30), weight (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.24 to 1.58), BMI (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.42) and BSA (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.62) in all adults, but most obviously in women. In children, similar associations were observed between risk of thyroid nodule incidence and weight, BMI and BSA, but not height. BSA was the measurement most significantly associated with thyroid nodules in both adults and children.

Conclusions: This study identified that the presence of thyroid nodules was positively associated with weight, height, BMI and BSA in both women and girls. It suggests that tall, obese individuals have increased susceptibility to thyroid nodules.

Trial Registration Number: NCT01838629.

Citing Articles

Association between obesity and thyroid nodules in children and adults living in iodine-sufficient areas: analysis of cross-sectional data from Tianjin, China.

Zhang D, Wang Y, Li W, Duan Y, Li F, Cui Y BMJ Open. 2025; 14(12):e091494.

PMID: 39806693 PMC: 11683947. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-091494.

Association of Body Mass Index trajectory with thyroid nodules during young adulthood in China.

Yan H, Yan S, Chen J, Yang Y, Ding S, Qin Q Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):1044.

PMID: 39762410 PMC: 11704289. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-84839-6.

Adiposity is associated with a higher number of thyroid nodules and worse fine-needle aspiration outcomes.

Demetriou E, Economides A, Fokou M, Lamnisos D, Paschou S, Papageorgis P Eur Thyroid J. 2024; 14(1).

PMID: 39652723 PMC: 11816029. DOI: 10.1530/ETJ-24-0176.

Establishment and validation of a multivariate logistic model for risk factors of thyroid nodules using lasso regression screening.

Liu J, Feng Z, Gao R, Liu P, Meng F, Fan L Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024; 15:1346284.

PMID: 38628585 PMC: 11018967. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1346284.

Effects of Overweight on Risk of Thyroid Nodules in Children and Adolescents: The Fukushima Health Management Survey.

Ohira T, Nagao M, Hayashi F, Shimura H, Suzuki S, Yasumura S J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2024; 110(2):e478-e486.

PMID: 38477491 PMC: 11747675. DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgae161.

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