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Higher BMI increased CVD mortality risk
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Higher BMI is a significant risk factor for mortality from cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke in the East Asian population, especially in middle-aged men and women, according to new data published in the British Medical Journal.
In addition, very low BMI has been linked to an increased risk for death from CVD in East Asians, whereas higher BMI is an insignificant risk factor for death from CVD in South Asians, according to Yu Chen, PhD, MPH, associate professor of epidemiology in the departments of population health and environmental medicine at NYU School of Medicine, and colleagues.
“This study is the first to compare East and South Asians for potential differences in the association between BMI and CVD,” Chen said in a press release. “Our findings suggest that BMI values that are associated with death due to CVD in East Asians and Western populations may not be applicable to South Asians.”
The study utilized data from the Asia Cohort Consortium (ie, 20 prospective cohorts in Asia) including 124,897 men and women (mean age, 53.4 years at baseline).
Researchers identified 49,184 CV deaths (40,791 in East Asians; 8,393 in South Asians) at 9.7 years of follow-up, according to data.
East Asians with a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 had an increased risk for death from overall CVD (HR=1.09; 95% CI, 1.03-1.15) compared with the reference ranges for BMI (22.5 kg/m2 to 24.9 kg/m2), according to data. Similarly, the risk for death from CHD, ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke was increased in patients with BMI ≥27.5 kg/m2, researchers wrote.
Data also demonstrate an elevated risk for CVD in patients with BMI ranges of 15 kg/m2 to 17.4 kg/m2 (HR=1.19; 95% CI, 1.02-1.39) and in patients with BMI <15 kg/m2 (HR=2.16; 95% CI, 1.37-3.40), compared with reference ranges for BMI, researchers wrote.
Conversely, only the South Asian population with a BMI >35 kg/m2 displayed an increased risk for death associated with CHD (HR=1.9; 95% CI, 1.15-3.12).
“Our findings stress the need for future studies that include other anthropometric measures such as waist circumference, thigh circumference, or waist-to-hip ratio in assessing the risk of CVD in South Asians,” Chen said.
Disclosure: This study was supported by the US National Cancer Institute at the NIH and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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