The combined relations of adiposity and smoking on mortality.
BACKGROUND
Smoking and high adiposity are strong independent health risk factors but are also interrelated. Smoking is related to a lower body mass index (BMI) but not necessarily with a smaller waist circumference. Smoking cessation is associated with increased body weight and a substantial increase in waist circumference. How this affects mortality risk is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
This study examined the combined relations of smoking status with BMI and waist circumference and smoking status to all-cause mortality.


METHODS
Data were from 149 502 men and 88 184 women aged 51-72 y participating in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. All-cause mortality was assessed over 10 y of follow-up from 1996 to 2006.


RESULTS
Current smokers with a BMI (in kg/m(2)) <18.5 or >or=35 had a mortality risk 6-8 times that of persons within the normal BMI range who never smoked. Current smokers with a large waist circumference had a mortality risk about 5 times that of never smokers with a waist circumference in the second quintile.


CONCLUSIONS
Both smoking and adiposity are independent predictors of mortality, but the combination of current or recent smoking with a BMI >or= 35 or a large waist circumference is related to an especially high mortality risk.
Koster
Annemarie
A
Laboratory of Epidemiology, Demography, and Biometry, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. kostera@mail.nih.gov
Leitzmann
Michael F
MF
Schatzkin
Arthur
A
Adams
Kenneth F
KF
van Eijk
Jacques T M
JT
Hollenbeck
Albert R
AR
Harris
Tamara B
TB
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio