Obesity Linked to 16 Health Conditions In New Study
USA: A large longitudinal study published in NEJM Evidence has found that obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing 16 health conditions. The severity of risk increases with higher obesity classes, particularly for individuals with a BMI of 40 or more. Among these conditions, obstructive sleep apnea showed the strongest link to obesity.
Given the increasing prevalence of obesity and its significant impact on health, this study aimed to comprehensively assess the association between different classes of obesity—Class I, II, and III—and the incidence of multiple common health conditions. Recognizing the limitations of previous research, which often lacked sufficient power to evaluate severe obesity, focused on a narrow range of outcomes, or had limited population diversity, Zhiqi Yao, Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Baltimore, and colleagues sought to provide a more robust and inclusive analysis.
By examining a broad spectrum of diseases, including cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, and musculoskeletal conditions, the researchers aimed to enhance understanding of the long-term health risks associated with varying levels of obesity.
For this purpose, they analyzed data from 270,657 participants in the All of Us research program with a BMI of 18.5 or higher. They assessed the prevalence and incidence of 16 health conditions spanning cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, and musculoskeletal disorders. These included hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, gout, liver disease, biliary calculus, sleep apnea, asthma, GERD, and osteoarthritis. Adjusted hazard ratios were calculated for each BMI category relative to normal weight, and the population-attributable fraction was analyzed for different obesity classifications.
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