Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death globally and is a significant health burden. The prevalence of CVD has increased dramatically, especially in older adults.
Obesity, particularly abdominal obesity, is a well-established modifiable risk factor for CVD. Studies have shown that abdominal obesity, often measured by waist circumference, is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular risk than general obesity (represented by body mass index [BMI]).
The Body Roundness Index (BRI), a more recent anthropometric index, was introduced to provide a more accurate measurement of body shape and visceral fat compared to BMI and waist circumference. BRI combines waist circumference and height to accurately reflect the body and visceral fat proportion.
Previous studies have shown that higher BRI is associated with metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and CVD. However, most of these studies were cross-sectional, limiting their ability to evaluate the relationship between changes in BRI over time and CVD risk. A recent research study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association seeks to fill the gap in research by examining longitudinal changes in BRI (BRI trajectories) and their association with the incidence of cardiovascular disease. It is one of the first, large, well-designed, prospective studies to evaluate BRI trajectories and CVD risk over time, focusing on middle-aged and older Chinese adults. This study confirmed that higher BRI trajectories were indeed associated with an increased risk of CVD (see Graphic).
(Source: Yang M, Liu J, Shen Q, Chen H, Liu Y, Wang N, Yang Z, Zhu X, Zhang S, Li X, Qian Y. Body roundness index trajectories and the incidence of cardiovascular disease: Evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2024;13:e034768. DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.124.034768)