Overview

• The study analyzed data from 48,417 women, with a median age of 57, tracking weight gain and reproductive timing over 6.4 years.
• Women who gained over 30% of their body weight after age 20 and had their first child after 30—or no children—were 2.73 times more likely to develop breast cancer.
• Early childbirth reduced breast cancer risk but did not offset the increased risk associated with significant adult weight gain.
• Researchers emphasize the need for GPs to consider combined risk factors in prevention and screening guidance, given rising obesity and delayed motherhood trends.
• The findings, presented at the European Congress on Obesity, highlight the importance of weight management and personalized risk assessments for women.