title: Hazard of obesity--the Norwegian experience.
abstract: Ten years' follow-up of mortality of 1.7 million persons aged 15 years or more with measured body weight and height demonstrates a consistent correlation between body mass index and mortality. The risk function is an asymmetrical U-function. This shape makes the determination of an optimum very uncertain. The two tails in the distribution of the body mass index show marked differences as to the causes of death: the lower tail is characterized by tuberculosis, lung cancer, obstructive lung diseases, and the upper tail by cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and (for males) colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Health Services Research, National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Waaler
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001824:Body Constitution; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D009765:Obesity / Q000401:mortality*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors