Weight cycling, weight gain, and risk of hypertension in women

To assess prospectively the relation between body mass index, weight gain, repeated intentional weight losses, and the risk of self-reported hypertens ion, the authors studied 46,224 women who were participants in the Nurses H ealth Study II, who were free of hypertension in 1993, and who completed qu estions on intentional weight losses between 1989 and 1993. Women who repor ted they had intentionally lost greater than or equal to 20 Ibs (9 kg) grea ter than or equal to 3 times were classified as severe weight cyclers. Wome n who had intentionally lost greater than or equal to 10 lbs (4.5 kg) great er than or equal to 3 times, but who did not meet the criteria for severe w eight cycling, were classified as mild weight cyclers. Between 1993 and 199 5, 1,107 incident cases of diagnosed hypertension were reported. Body mass index and weight gain, but not weight cycler status, were independently ass ociated with the development of hypertension. For each 10 Ib (4.5 kg) gain in weight between 1989 and 1993, the risk of hypertension increased 20% (od ds ratio (OR) = 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15, 1.24). After adjus tment for body mass index and weight gain, the risks associated with mild w eight cycling (OR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.00, 1.33) and severe weight cycling (OR = 1.13, 95% CI 0.79, 1.61) were small and not significant. Thus, the result s of this study offer support for the current weight guidelines and provide further evidence of the health risks associated with excessive weight and weight gain. However, these data do not suggest an independent effect of we ight cycling on risk of hypertension.