Emergency Diagnosis

Patients with obesity had lower odds of emergency diagnosis than normal-weight patients for both colon and rectal cancer. For rectal cancer, emergency presentation was less common among patients with obesity than among normal-weight patients, and the fully adjusted odds ratio was statistically significant. For colon cancer, emergency presentation was less common among patients with obesity than among normal-weight patients, and the fully adjusted odds ratio was statistically significant. The association between BMI and emergency presentation did not differ by sex, age, or deprivation in the study's interaction tests. Emergency presentation is associated with later stage at diagnosis, poorer survival independent of stage, worse patient experience, and more pressure on healthcare systems.