THE SAGITTAL WAIST DIAMETER AND MORTALITY IN MEN - THE BALTIMORE-LONGITUDINAL-STUDY-ON-AGING

The study objective was to determine the relationship between the abdo minal sagittal diameter (waist depth) and subsequent mortality. This w as a prospective study carried out in 981 male participants of the Bal timore Longitudinal Study on Aging which is a prospective study at the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore. The main outcome measures o f the study were total and cause-specific mortality occurring during 1 7529 person-years. The men were divided by age (cut-off point 55 years ) at the start of follow-up. All-cause and coronary heart disease mort ality rates (adjusted for age, height and body mass index) increased w ith increasing sagittal diameter in the younger group but not in the o lder group. No significant relationship was observed between the sagit tal diameter and cancer mortality. Body mass index, skinfolds and wais t/hip ratio were not significantly related to any of the endpoints stu died. The increased risk of mortality with increasing sagittal diamete r was somewhat stronger when the first ten years of follow-up were exc luded and was more pronounced at lower levels of risk factors such as serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides, plasma glucose and diastolic b lood pressure and in never plus ex-smokers compared to smokers. The st udy indicates that the abdominal sagittal diameter is a strong predict or of mortality in younger adult men independently of age, height, bod y mass index and conventional risk factors for mortality such as smoki ng, serum lipids and blood pressure. Regional adiposity may be a less strong risk factor for mortality in older men.