Using maximum weight to redefine body mass index categories in studies of the mortality risks of obesity

Table 3 Age-standardized all-cause mortality rates (per 1,000 person-years) and hazard ratios for mortality from all causes according to combinations of body mass index at time of survey and body mass index at maximum

BMI: body mass index; MR: mortality rate; HR: hazard ratio. See Table 1 for definitions of BMI categories. The sample includes never-smoking persons ages 50-84. Entry years are 1988-2004 with mortality follow-up through 2006. Mortality rates are age-standardized to the US 2000 Census using five-year age-groups between 50-54 and 80-84. The final row and column correspond to mortality rates pooled across BMI at the time of survey and across maximum BMI categories, respectively. Hazard ratios are derived from separate calculations in which adjustment is made for gender, race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, other), and educational attainment (less than high school, high school, some college, or greater) using Cox proportional hazards models. Age at exposure is specified as analysis time in all models. All estimates are weighted and account for complex survey design. Source: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

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