Clinical and Lifestyle Factors Associated with Breast Cancer History: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Using NHANES Data

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and remains an important public health concern. Many demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors have been linked to breast cancer, but these factors are often related to each other, making their independent associations difficult to identify. This study examined factors associated with self-reported breast cancer history using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The analysis included 11,933 adults. Demographic characteristics, clinical conditions, and lifestyle factors were first compared between participants with and without a breast cancer history. Multivariable logistic regression was then used to adjust for potential confounding. Older age and smoking history were significantly associated with higher odds of breast cancer history. In contrast, no statistically significant associations were observed for BMI, diabetes, hypertension, alcohol use, physical activity, or sleep duration after adjustment. These results show the importance of considering confounding factors when examining breast cancer risk patterns in population-based data.