Obesity in Middle Age Increases Risk of Later Heart Failure in Women - Results from the Prospective Population Study of Women and H70 Studies in Gothenburg, Sweden.

• Obesity has been shown to be a risk factor for heart failure, but whether the association varies by age is not understood.To examine the impact of obesity/overweight on the risk of developing heart failure in women of different ages by analysing prospective data from 2 population studies.Data were obtained from the Population Study of Women in Gothenburg and the Gerontological and Geriatric Population Studies concerning Body Mass Index (BMI) collected in 1980 or later. Follow-up ended 2006. Cox proportional hazard methods were used to determine associations between developing HF and BMI in 2574 women, 1243 aged 26-65 and 1331 aged 66-76 at baseline.Women aged 26-65 years at baseline with BMI≥30 had an increased risk of developing heart failure (hazard ratio (HR) 2.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.56-4.35) even when controlling for age, glucose, smoking, alcohol consumption, s-triglycerides, and systolic blood pressure (reference group: women with BMI 18.5-22.4). Obese older women 66-76 years at baseline did not show increased risk of developing HF (HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.23-1.29).Obesity in middle aged women increases their risk of developing heart failure later in life. In contrast, obesity in late life shows no association with heart failure.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Allmänmedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- General Practice (hsv//eng)

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