Central obesity predicts non-Hodgkin's lymphoma mortality and overall obesity predicts leukemia mortality in adult Taiwanese

[[abstract]]Objective: Obesity may increase the risk of neoplasia, including that of the lymphohematopoietic system. In a large Taiwanese cohort, we have evaluated whether body fat and its distribution is associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and leukemia mortalities.Methods: During 1997–2007 in Taiwan, 383,956 subjects aged 19–98 years without any cancer history were obtained through a health screening center and followed up for a median of 7.2 years. Unit records were linked to the national death registry; ICD-9 codes were used to identify 143 NHL and 73 leukemia deaths. Objectively, height, weight, and waist circumference data were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI) and central obesity status. Based on World Health Organization criteria modified for Asia and Taiwan, BMI was classified to