[A prospective study on the association between underweight and mortality from all cause].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the association between underweight and mortality from all cause.


METHODS
We examined the relationship of underweight and mortality among subjects who participated in the survey of cardiovascular risk factors (in 1984-1986 and in 1992). Relative Risks (RRs) were estimated from the COX proportional hazard model by using a BMI between 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 as reference category.


RESULTS
During an average 12.40 years follow-up, we documented 307 deaths of which 158 were from cancer, 93 from cardiovascular diseases, and 56 from other causes. We observed a L-shaped relation between BMI and overall mortality. (P for trend < 0.01); In multivariated analyses, we found that the RR of mortality for a BMI of < 18.5 kg/m2 was 1.58 (95% CI 1.16-2.14) as compared with the risk among subjects with BMI of 18.5-24.9 kg/m2. The RR of overall mortality among subjects with BMI of < 18.5 kg/m2 was still significant after the exclusion of subjects who died from cancers during the first five years follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Total mortality was increased among underweight people, and this association can not been completely explained by smoking and early deaths from cancer.
Qian
W
W
Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
Guo
J
J
Zhang
W
W
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D015996:Survival Rate
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D002784:Cholesterol