X-Message-Number: 12338
Date: Fri, 27 Aug 1999 08:50:01 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: BMI and mortality in non-smokers

Authors
  Diehr P.  Bild DE.  Harris TB.  Duxbury A.  Siscovick D.  Rossi M.
Institution
  Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
Title
  Body mass index and
  mortality in nonsmoking older adults: the Cardiovascular
  Health Study.
Source
  American Journal of Public Health.  88(4):623-9, 1998 Apr.
Abstract
  OBJECTIVES: This study assesses the relationship of body
  mass index to 5-year
  mortality in a cohort of 4317 nonsmoking men and women aged
  65 to 100 years. METHODS: Logistic regression analyses were conducted to
  predict mortality as a function of baseline
  body mass index, adjusting
  for demographic, clinical, and laboratory covariates. RESULTS: There was an
  inverse relationship between body mass
  index and mortality; death rates were
  higher for those who weighed the least. Inclusion of covariates had trivial
  effects on these results. People who had lost 10% or more of their
  body weight since age 50 had a relatively high death rate.
  When that group was excluded, there was no remaining relationship between
  body mass index and
  mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The association between higher
  body mass index and
  mortality often found in middle-aged populations was not
  observed in this large cohort of older adults. Over-weight does not seem to
  be a risk factor for 5-year mortality in this age group.
  Rather, the risks associated with significant weight loss should be the
  primary concern.

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