WHtR, body roundness predict incident CVD in males

Body roundness index (BRI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) are more effective at predicting incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in males than BMI, waist circumference (WC), and a body shape index (ABSI), as shown in a study with a 13-year follow-up.

Multivariate analysis revealed the association of all anthropometric indices with incident major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in males: BMI (hazard ratio [HR], 1.15, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.11‒1.18), WC (HR, 1.15, 95 percent CI, 1.12‒1.19), ABSI (HR, 1.06, 95 percent CI, 1.02‒1.09), BRI (HR, 1.16, 95 percent CI, 1.13‒1.20), and WHtR (HR, 1.17, 95 percent CI, 1.12‒1.21).

On the other hand, no significant associations were noted in females between any anthropometric indices and incident MACE.

Among males, the areas under the curve (AUC) values were higher for both BRI and WHtR (both 0.608, 95 percent CI, 0.598‒0.618) than for BMI (AUC, 0.586, 95 percent CI, 0.576‒0.596), WC (AUC, 0.598, 95 percent CI, 0.588‒0.608), and ABSI (AUC, 0.563, 95 percent CI, 0.552‒0.573), with the values being identical for BRI and WHtR.

The optimal cutoff values for CVD prediction were 3.250 and 0.494 for BRI and WHtR, respectively.

“The identified cutoffs may help improve risk stratification and support early preventive interventions to reduce CVD risk,” the investigators said.

This study used data from a health checkup program conducted by the Panasonic Corporation between 2008 and 2021, including a total of 160,656 participants.

The investigators used Cox proportional hazards models and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analyses to examine the relationships between five anthropometric indices and incident MACE, stratified by gender.