title: Multimorbidity in a prospective cohort: prevalence and associations with weight loss and health status in severely obese patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the prevalence of multimorbidity (≥2 chronic conditions) in severely obese patients and its associations with weight loss and health status over 2 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective cohort including 500 severely obese adults, self-reported prevalence of 20 chronic conditions was calculated at baseline and 2 years. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to test the covariate-adjusted associations between ≥5% weight reduction and reduction in multimorbidity and the association between health status (visual analogue scale [VAS]) and reduction in multimorbidity over 2 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 2 years, mean weight change was -12.9 ±18.7 kg, 53% had ≥5% weight reduction, mean change in VAS was 11.5 ± 21.2, and 53.5% had ≥10% increase in VAS. Multimorbidity was reported in 95.4% and 92.8% patients at baseline and 2 years, respectively. Weight loss (≥5%) over 2 years was associated with reduction in multimorbidity (adjusted OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.7). Reduction in multimorbidity was associated with clinically important improvements (≥10% increase in VAS) in health status (adjusted OR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.6, 4.0).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multimorbidity is common in severely obese patients. Having ≥5% weight reduction over 2 years was associated with a reduction in multimorbidity, which was also associated with improvements in health status.
authors: Department of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Diabetes Institute, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors: Calypse B
authors: CB
authors: Agborsangaya
authors: Sumit R
authors: SR
authors: Majumdar
authors: Arya M
authors: AM
authors: Sharma
authors: Edward W
authors: EW
authors: Gregg
authors: Raj S
authors: RS
authors: Padwal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D057566:Self Report; D015431:Weight Loss