title: Association of obesity with risk of coronary heart disease: findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2006.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity is a well-known risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of the present study was to examine the differences in the 10-year CHD risk with increasing severity of obesity in men and women participating in the latest National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from a representative sample of 12,500 U.S. participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2006 were reviewed. The Framingham risk score was calculated for men and women according to a body mass index (BMI) of <25.0, 25.0-29.9, 30.0-34.9, and ≥ 35.0 kg/m(2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of those with hypertension increased with an increasing BMI, from 24% for a BMI <25.0 kg/m(2) to 54% for a BMI of ≥ 35.0 kg/m(2). The prevalence of an abnormal total cholesterol level (>200 mg/dL) increased from 40% for a BMI <25.0 kg/m(2) to 48% for a BMI of ≥ 35.0 kg/m(2). The 10-year CHD risk for men increased from 3.1% for a BMI <25.0 kg/m(2) to a peak of 5.6% for a BMI of 30.0-34.9 kg/m(2). The 10-year CHD risk for women increased from .8% for a BMI <25.0 kg/m(2) to a peak of 1.5% for a BMI of ≥ 35.0 kg/m(2). Both diabetes and hypertension were independent risk factors for an increasing CHD risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 10-year CHD risk, calculated using the Framingham risk score, substantially increased with an increasing BMI. An important implication from our findings is the need to implement surgical and medical approaches to weight reduction to reduce the effect of morbidity and mortality from CHD on the U.S. healthcare system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of California, Irvine, Medical Center, Orange, California 92868, USA. ninhn@uci.edu
authors.forename: Ninh T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Xuan-Mai T
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wooldridge
authors.forename: Johnathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Slone
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology