Obesity and Benign Prostatic Enlargement: A Large Observational Study in China

ObjectivesTo investigate the associations of prostate enlargement with obesity and hypertension in Chinese men.MethodsA total of 649 men from Zhejiang, China were invited to the Family Planning Station of Wenlin to undergo prostate volume measurement with transrectal ultrasonography. Benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) has been defined as a prostate volume larger than 20 cm3. The associations between BPE and prostate volume with body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure were evaluated by multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses.ResultsOverweight (BMI of 25 or more but less than 28 kg/m2) and obese (BMI of 28 kg/m2 or more) men experienced a significantly increased age-adjusted risk of BPE compared with men with a lower BMI (odds ratio 1.63, 95% confidence interval 1.16 to 2.30, and odds ratio 2.26, 95% confidence interval 1.11 to 4.59, respectively). Each 0.37-kg/m2 increase (95% confidence interval 0.18 to 0.57, P <0.01) in the BMI was associated with a 1-cm3 increase in prostate volume. No associations were observed between hypertension and BPE.ConclusionsThis is the first study to provide evidence that the BMI is positively associated with prostate volume in the Chinese population. Obese Chinese men are at increased risk of an enlarged prostate compared with nonobese Chinese men.