OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Objective: Evidence is lacking regarding the combined effects of smoking and obesity on mortality from coronary heart disease in male veterans. This study aimed to explore the combined effect of smoking and obesity on coronary heart disease mortality in male veterans in China. Methods: A cohort of 1,268 male veterans from 22 veteran centers in Xi'an (Shaanxi Province, China) were followed up once every 2 years from February 1, 1987 to October 30, 2016. The endpoint was death from any cause. The hazard ratio ( Results: The total follow-up was 24394.21 person-years; each subject was followed up for a mean duration of 19.24 years. By the end of the study, of the 1,268 veterans, 889 had died, 363 were alive, and 16 were lost to follow-up. Cox regression analysis results revealed that current smoking ( Conclusion Our results suggest that obese veterans who smoke might be an important target population for coronary heart disease mortality control.
Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Coronary Disease/mortality* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity/complications* ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; Veterans/statistics & numerical data*

Objective: This study aimed to assess the association of waist circumference (WC) with all-cause mortality among Chinese adults. Methods: The baseline data were from Shanxi Province of 2002 China Nutrition and Health Survey. The death investigation and follow-up visit were conducted from December 2015 to March 2016. The visits covered up to 5,360 of 7,007 participants, representing a response rate of 76.5%. The Cox regression model and floating absolute risk were used to estimate hazard ratio and 95% floating of death by gender and age groups (≥ 60 and < 60 years old). Sensitivity analysis was performed by excluding current smokers; participants with stroke, hypertension, and diabetes; participants who accidentally died; and participants who died during the first 2 years of follow-up. Results: This study followed 67,129 person-years for 12.5 years on average, including 615 deaths. The mortality density was 916 per 100,000 person-years. Low WC was associated with all-cause mortality among men. Multifactor-adjusted hazard ratios ( ) were 1.60 (1.35-1.90) for WC < 75.0 cm and 1.40 (1.11-1.76) for WC ranging from 75.0 cm to 79.9 cm. Low WC (< 70.0 cm and 70.0-74.9 cm) and high WC (≥ 95.0 cm) groups had a high risk of mortality among women. The adjusted s of death were 1.43 (1.11-1.83), 1.39 (1.05-1.84), and 1.91 (1.13-3.22). Conclusion WC was an important predictor of death independent of body mass index (BMI). WC should be used as a simple rapid screening and predictive indicator of the risk of death.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; epidemiology ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Obesity, Abdominal ; complications ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Waist Circumference ; Young Adult

Little is known about the benefits of statin use on liver cancer mortality among patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) considering hypercholesterolemia and obesity. A nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from a Health Examination Cohort of the National Health Insurance Service of Korea. Data on CHB patients with no other concurrent liver disease were acquired, and statin use was defined as a cumulative daily dose ≥28. A 3-year landmark analysis was performed to avoid immortal time bias. Patients who started statin therapy within the landmark date were considered statin users. A Cox regression analysis was applied to assess associations between statin use and liver cancer mortality considering hypercholesterolemia and obesity. Among 13063 patients, 193 (1.5%) died of liver cancer during the mean follow-up period of 10.6 years. After adjusting for demographic and metabolic factors, statin use [hazard ratio (HR), 0.17; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.04–0.70] and hypercholesterolemia (HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.24–0.88 for total cholesterol ≥240 mg/dL) were associated with a decreased risk of liver cancer mortality, whereas body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m² was associated with an increased risk of liver cancer mortality (HR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.20–5.06). This study showed that statin use was associated with decreased liver cancer mortality when adjusting for cholesterol levels and BMI. This study found that hypercholesterolemia was independently associated with decreased liver cancer mortality regardless of statin use.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Body Mass Index ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cholesterol ; Cohort Studies ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Korea ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Neoplasms ; Liver ; Mortality ; National Health Programs ; Obesity ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Excessive sugar consumption may increase the risk for development of several diseases. Although average dietary sugar intake of Koreans is within the recommended level, an increasing trend has been found in all age groups. This study aimed to evaluate the population attributable fractions (PAF) to dietary sugar for disease and death in Korea, and to estimate the socioeconomic effects of a reduction in dietary sugar. MATERIALS/METHODS: The prevalence of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) overconsumption (≥ 20 g of sugar from beverages) was analyzed using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015. Disease-specific relative risks of excessive SSB consumption were obtained through reviewing previous studies. Using the prevalence of SSB overconsumption and each relative risk, PAFs for morbidity and mortality were calculated. Socioeconomic costs of diseases and death attributable to SSB overconsumption were estimated by using representative data on national medical expenditures, health insurance statistics, employment information, and previous reports. RESULTS: Disease-specific PAF to SSB consumption ranged from 3.11% for stroke to 9.05% for obesity and dental caries, respectively. Costs from disease caused by SSB overconsumption was estimated at 594 billion won in 2015. About 39 billion won was estimated to be from SSB consumption-related deaths, and a total of 633 billion won was predicted to have been saved through preventing SSB overconsumption. CONCLUSIONS: Sugars overconsumption causes considerable public burdens, although the cost estimates do not include any informal expenditure. Information on these socioeconomic effects helps both health professionals and policy makers to create and to implement programs for reducing sugar consumption.
Administrative Personnel ; Beverages ; Carbohydrates ; Dental Caries ; Dietary Sucrose ; Employment ; Health Expenditures ; Health Occupations ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea ; Mortality ; Nutrition Surveys ; Obesity ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Stroke

Cancer incidence appears to be increased in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). DM represents a risk factor for cancer, particularly hepatocellular, hepatobiliary, pancreas, breast, ovarian, endometrial, and gastrointestinal cancers. In addition, there is evidence showing that DM is associated with increased cancer mortality. Common risk factors such as age, obesity, physical inactivity and smoking may contribute to increased cancer risk in patients with DM. Although the mechanistic process that may link diabetes to cancer is not completely understood yet, biological mechanisms linking DM and cancer are hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, increased bioactivity of insulin-like growth factor 1, oxidative stress, dysregulations of sex hormones, and chronic inflammation. However, cancer screening rate is significantly lower in people with DM than that in people without diabetes. Evidence from previous studies suggests that some medications used to treat DM are associated with either increased or reduced risk of cancer. However, there is no strong evidence supporting the association between the use of anti-hyperglycemic medication and specific cancer. In conclusion, all patients with DM should be undergo recommended age- and sex appropriate cancer screenings to promote primary prevention and early detection. Furthermore, cancer should be screened in routine diabetes assessment.
Breast ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Hyperinsulinism ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Mass Screening ; Mortality ; Obesity ; Oxidative Stress ; Pancreas ; Primary Prevention ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking

PURPOSE: To report our initial experience with laparoscopic mini-gastric bypass (LMGB) in Korean obese patients.MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 2016 to February 2018, 14 male patients underwent LMGB for morbid obesity at a single institution. Five trocars were placed in a U-shape formation and 1 trocar was placed at the epigastrium as a liver retractor; a window was created between the vagal nerve and lesser curvature at the gastric angle for entering the lesser sac; a narrow gastric tube (~100–120 ml volume) was made; a linear-stapled gastrojejunostomy was created after bypassing the jejunum 200 cm from the Treitz' ligament; and the Petersen defect was closed to prevent internal hernia. Patient demographics, operative time, estimated blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, complications, weight loss, and resolution of comorbidities were evaluated during 1 year of follow-up.RESULTS: All procedures were successful by laparoscopy. The average age was 29 (19–49) years; weight, 164.9 (127-250) kg; and body mass index, 51.0 (42.4–81.6) kg/m². In 1 case, nephrectomy was simultaneously performed for early renal cell carcinoma. The mean operative time was 148.8 (120-175) min. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 1.9 (1–4) days. The percentage excess weight loss at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months was 16.6%, 31.0%, 41.4%, 45.4%, and 50.4%, respectively. The resolution rate of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia was 75%, 40%, and 66.7%, respectively. There was no major complication including mortality during the follow-up.CONCLUSION: LMGB is a technically simple, safe, and effective procedure in Korean obese patients.
Bariatric Surgery ; Body Mass Index ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Comorbidity ; Demography ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Dyslipidemias ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastric Bypass ; Hernia ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Jejunum ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Ligaments ; Liver ; Male ; Mortality ; Nephrectomy ; Obesity, Morbid ; Operative Time ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Postoperative Hemorrhage ; Surgical Instruments ; Weight Loss

BACKGROUND: Microalbuminuria (MA) is a predictor for diabetic nephropathy and mortality of cardiovascular disease. Diabetic nephropathy can be prevented by blood glucose and blood pressure control. Koreans have been found to have a significantly higher risk of type 2 diabetes than Caucasians, despite having normal weights. It is necessary to consider obesity status in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to determine the relationship between MA and hypertension according to obesity status in prediabetes.METHODS: This study was retrospectively conducted in 1,183 prediabetes, aged 30-70 years with fasting blood glucose levels of 100-125 mg/dL or hemoglobin A1c levels of 5.7–6.4% who health examinees at 16 health promotion centers from 2015 to 2016. Study subjects were classified according to obesity and hypertension. Obesity is defined as body mass index of ≥25 kg/m². Blood pressure was categorized as follows: normal blood pressure, <120/80 mmHg; prehypertension, 120–139/80–89 mmHg; and hypertension, ≥140/90 mmHg. We analyzed the relationship between MA and hypertension according to obesity using multivariable logistic regression analysis.RESULTS: While both prehypertensive and hypertensive subgroups were significantly associated with MA in the nonobese, the hypertensive subgroup was only associated with MA in the obese. In the combined effects of obesity and hypertension, prediabetes with normal weight and hypertension had the highest risk of MA (adjusted odds ratio, 6.39; 95% confidence interval, 2.90–14.10) compared to those with nonobese and normal blood pressure.CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that nonobese prediabetes with hypertension would need to be more concerned about MA than do obese prediabetes with hypertension.
Albuminuria ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Fasting ; Health Promotion ; Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Prediabetic State ; Prehypertension ; Retrospective Studies ; Weights and Measures

Rapid aging, economic development, lifestyle westernization, hygiene improvement, and scientific development have contributed for the epidemiologic changes of gastric cancer. This study aimed to review the descriptive epidemiology, risk factors, and prevention of gastric cancer in Korea. Age-standardized incidence and mortality of gastric cancer have decreased and showed age effect and cohort effect. Annual percent change in the incidence of gastric cancer has been prominent in recent years. Major risk factor of gastric cancer is Helicobacter pylori infection. Although H. pylori infection was associated with only non-cardia gastric cancer in meta-analysis, H. pylori infection was associated with both non-cardia and cardia gastric cancer in Asian studies. The estimated population attributable fraction of H. pylori regarding gastric cancer incidence was about 76% in Korean. Cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking was associated with gastric cancer regardless of cardia and non-cardia gastric cancer. Cigarette smoking was estimated to be responsible for 28% of gastric cancer incidence in men and 2% in women. Obesity was risk factor for cardia gastric cancer but not non-cardia gastric cancer. This discrepancy between cardia and non-cardia gastric cancer was consistently shown in epidemiologic studies in Korea. Salt intake was also well-known risk factor of gastric cancer and prevalence of high sodium intake more than 2,000mg in Korean was 81.5%. For primary prevention of gastric cancer, eradication of H. pylori and life-style modification including no smoking, no alcohol drinking, weight control, and low sodium intake are important. Gastric endoscopy is recommended for secondary prevention of gastric cancer.
Aging ; Alcohol Drinking ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cardia ; Cohort Effect ; Economic Development ; Endoscopy ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Incidence ; Korea ; Life Style ; Male ; Mortality ; Obesity ; Prevalence ; Primary Prevention ; Risk Factors ; Secondary Prevention ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sodium ; Stomach Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Unlike patterns observed in the general population, obesity is associated with better survival among hemodialysis patients, which could be explained by reverse causation or illness-related weight loss. However, the time-varying effect of body mass index (BMI) on hemodialysis survival has not been investigated. Therefore, this study investigated the time-varying effect of BMI on mortality after starting hemodialysis. METHODS: In the present study, we examined Korean Society of Nephrology data from 16,069 adult patients who started hemodialysis during or after the year 2000. Complete survival data were obtained from Statistics Korea. Survival analysis was performed using Cox regression and a non-proportional hazard fractional polynomial model. RESULTS: During the median follow-up of 8.6 years, 9,272 patients (57.7%) died. Compared to individuals with normal BMI (18.5–24.9 kg/m²), the underweight group (< 18.5 kg/m²) had a higer mortality hazard ratio (HR, 1.292; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.203–1.387; P < 0.001) and the overweight group (25.0–29.9 kg/m²) had a lower mortality HR (0.904; 95% CI, 0.829–0.985; P = 0.022). The underweight group had increasing HRs during the first 3 to 7 years after starting hemodialysis, which varied according to age group. The young obese group (< 40 years old) had a U-shaped temporal trend in their mortality HRs, which reflected increased mortality after 7 years. CONCLUSION: The obese hemodialysis group had better survival during the early post-dialysis period, although the beneficial effect of obesity disappeared 7 years after starting hemodialysis. The young obese group also had an increased mortality HR after 7 years.
Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Models, Statistical ; Mortality ; Nephrology ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Renal Dialysis ; Thinness ; Weight Loss