Background
Obesity, obesity, adiposity
OBESITY, OBESITY, CVD, ADIPOSITY, EVENTS, TYPE 2 DIABETES
Obesity, defined as excess adiposity that is detrimental to health, is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes and other comorbidities [Obesity can be assessed using different measures. In the absence of imaging modalities, which are typically not used in routine clinical practice, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist circumference (WC) are commonly used clinical measures. BMI can be readily calculated to estimate overall body fat, and WHR and WC can be measured during the office visit to estimate distribution of fat which may have varied pathophysiological effects. BMI measures weight to height squared ratio and is inclusive of total body fat and lean mass. WC and WHR measure central adiposity: WC examines the circumference of the abdomen at the level of the umbilicus, and WHR is a ratio of the circumference of the waist to that of the hips with higher ratios indicating more central adiposity [Different measures of obesity have been associated with CVD and all-cause mortality. While some studies indicate that measures of central adiposity are superior to BMI when evaluating patients’ risk of cardiovascular (CV) events [The REWIND CV Outcomes Trial evaluated CVD-related events, including MACE-3, CVD-related mortality, all-cause mortality, and HF requiring hospitalization, over a median of 5.4 years [The aim of the current study was to evaluate and contrast measures of general and central adiposity as potential risk factors for MACE-3, CVD-related mortality, all-cause mortality, and HF requiring hospitalization in the placebo group of the REWIND CV Outcomes Trial.