Waist Circumference vs Body-Mass Index in Predicting Mortality
Author Information
Author(s): Michael F. Leitzmann, Steven C. Moore, Annemarie Koster, Tamara B. Harris, Yikyung Park, Albert Hollenbeck, Arthur Schatzkin
Primary Institution: National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health
Hypothesis
Does waist circumference provide clinically meaningful information not delivered by body-mass index regarding prediction of cause-specific death?
Conclusion
Increased abdominal fat measured by waist circumference is related to a higher risk of deaths from major specific causes, including lung cancer and chronic respiratory disease, independent of body-mass index.
Supporting Evidence
- Increased waist circumference predicted risk of death from any cause and major causes of death.
- Waist circumference showed significant positive associations with deaths from lung cancer and chronic respiratory disease.
- Participants with the highest waist circumference had a 1.77 times higher risk of death from lung cancer.
Takeaway
Measuring waist size can tell us more about health risks than just looking at weight and height. A bigger waist means a higher chance of dying from serious diseases.
Methodology
The study used Cox regression to analyze the relationship between waist circumference and body-mass index with cause-specific death in a large cohort over several years.
Potential Biases
Self-reported measurements of waist circumference and body-mass index may introduce measurement bias.
Limitations
The study had a low response rate to the second questionnaire for waist circumference, which could introduce selection bias.
Participant Demographics
Participants were U.S. adults aged 50 to 71 years, with a diverse representation across age, sex, and race/ethnicity.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 1.41 to 2.23
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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