Conclusions
overweight, Cancer
CANCER
In summary, this study found that in this older population, BMI has a significantly stronger relationship than waist circumference to both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. In men, the lowest mortality was in those whose BMI was in the overweight range and the highest was amongst those who were underweight at entry to the study. As a result, there was a strong U-shaped relationship between BMI and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in older men but less so in older women. Waist circumference showed a weaker relationship with mortality risk. Cancer mortality was unrelated to either measure of body size except at the upper extreme. This information may help inform the advice provided by primary care physicians, particularly to moderately overweight men.