title: Changes in Waist Circumference among German Adults over Time - Compiling Results of Seven Prospective Cohort Studies.
abstract: This study aims to quantify longitudinal changes in waist circumference (WC) among adults aged 45-64 years in Germany.
  
  
  
  Data of 15,444 men and 17,207 women from one nationwide and six regional prospective German cohort studies were analyzed. The sex-specific mean change in WC per year of follow-up was assessed for each study separately. Findings from the cohort-by-cohort analysis were combined by applying meta-analytic methods. Progression to central obesity (WC ≥ 102 cm in men and ≥ 88 cm in women) within a standardized period of 10 years was described for each study.
  
  
  
  The estimated mean change in WC per year of follow-up for all cohorts combined was 0.53 (95% confidence interval 0.29-0.76) cm/year for men and 0.63 (0.48-0.77) cm/year for women, but varied between the included studies. Within 10 years, about 20% of individuals with low WC (<94 cm in men; <80 cm in women) and about 50% of individuals with intermediate WC (94-102 cm in men; 80-88 cm in women) progressed to central obesity.
  
  
  
  The increase in mean WC with aging along with a profound increase of central adiposity is obviously and may have several adverse health effects. Obesity prevention programs should also focus on abdominal obesity.
authors.affiliation: Robert Koch Institute, Department of Epidemiology and Health Reporting, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Marjolein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haftenberger
authors.forename: Gert B M
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Mensink
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thorand
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Herzog
authors.forename: Saskia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hartwig
authors.forename: Karin Halina
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Greiser
authors.forename: Till
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ittermann
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schipf
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Völzke
authors.forename: Benedikt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Merz
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nöthlings
authors.forename: Manja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Jasmine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neamat-Allah
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Katzke
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaaks
authors.forename: Heiner
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Boeing
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bachlechner
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scheidt-Nave
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schienkiewitz
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference