Annals of Epidemiology
Volume 17, Issue 2 , Pages 100-105, February 2007

Body Mass Index and Coronary Heart Disease Risk Score: The Tromsø Study, 1979 to 2001

  • Tom Wilsgaard, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to: Tom Wilsgaard, PhD, Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway. Tel.: +47-7764-4825; fax: +47-7764-4831.
    • ,
  • Egil Arnesen, MD

From the Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, Norway (T.W., E.A.)

Received 10 January 2006; accepted 9 May 2006. published online 02 August 2006.

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to examine the association between longitudinal change in body mass index (BMI) and change in coronary heart disease (CHD) risk score by using the Framingham risk score equation.

Methods

A general adult population in the municipality of Tromsø, Norway, was invited to four consecutive examinations in 1979 to 1980, 1986 to 1987, 1994 to 1995, and 2001. A total of 10,214 men and women aged 20 to 61 years at baseline attended at least three times. Associations were examined by using fixed-effects regression methods for longitudinal data.

Results

We observed a significant association between BMI change and risk score change in all baseline age groups. The association was significantly strengthened by age in women, but not men. A BMI increase of 3 kg/m2 in subjects aged 40 to 49 years was associated with risk score increases of 0.45 points (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29–0.62) in men and 0.66 points (95% CI, 0.52–0.80) in women.

Conclusions

The well-known increase in body weight is associated with adverse CHD risk in both men and women.

Key Words: Risk Factors, Sex, Longitudinal Studies, Body Weight Changes

Selected Abbreviations and Acronyms: BMI, body mass index, CHD, coronary heart disease, CI, confidence interval

To access this article, please choose from the options below

Login to an existing account or Register a new account.

  • Purchase this article for 31.50 USD (You must login/register to purchase this article)

    Online access for 24 hours. The PDF version can be downloaded as your permanent record.

  • Subscribe to this title

    Get unlimited online access to this article and all other articles in this title 24/7 for one year.

  • Claim access now

    For current subscribers with Society Membership or Account Number.

  • Visit SciVerse ScienceDirect to see if you have access via your institution.
 

 The study was financed by grants from the Research Council of Norway.

PII: S1047-2797(06)00134-7

doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2006.05.006

Annals of Epidemiology
Volume 17, Issue 2 , Pages 100-105, February 2007

Article Tools