Key result
Obesity linked to ~113% greater risk of elevated arterial stiffness versus normal BMI.
Why the study?
Few studies have evaluated the comparative predictive performance of traditional obesity indicators versus novel indices for arterial stiffness.
Do novel obesity indicators predict arterial stiffness better than traditional measures in Chinese adults?
Cross-Sectional
Do novel obesity indicators predict arterial stiffness better than traditional measures in Chinese adults?
Novel obesity indicators, particularly WWI, outperform traditional measures like BMI and waist circumference in predicting arterial stiffness in Chinese adults.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Obesity was associated with elevated arterial stiffness; leaves open whether novel indices outperform BMI for risk stratification in Chinese adults.
Background: Arterial stiffness (AS) is a well-established independent predictor of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. However, few studies have examined the comparative predictive performance of traditional obesity indicators (BMI, WC) versus novel indices (WWI, ABSI, BRI, CI) for AS. Methods: This study utilized baseline data from the Shaanxi cohort of the Regional Ethnic Cohort Study in Northwest China (RECS). Anthropometric measurements were collected to calculate obesity indicators, and estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) served as a surrogate for AS. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline models assessed the associations and dose-response relationships between obesity indicators and ePWV. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to compare the predictive performance of these indicators. Results: After adjusting for confounders, all obesity indices exhibited significant positive nonlinear associations with ePWV (P for nonlinearity < 0.001). Participants with overweight (OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.51–1.77) or obesity (OR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.90–2.40) had a higher risk of elevated ePWV compared to those with normal BMI. Central adiposity (based on WC) was associated with a 70% increased risk (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.58–1.83). Similarly, individuals in the highest quartile (Q4) of WWI, ABSI, BRI, and CI showed 1.40-, 1.14-, 2.24-, and 1.52-fold higher risks of elevated ePWV, respectively, compared to the lowest quartile (Q1). Novel obesity indices demonstrated superior predictive performance over traditional measures, with WWI exhibiting the strongest discriminative ability. Conclusions: Obesity significantly increases AS risk in Chinese adults, and novel obesity indicators (particularly WWI) could outperform BMI and WC in predicting AS. Managing abdominal obesity and reducing visceral adiposity may mitigate AS risk, thereby lowering the likelihood of cardiovascular disease.
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Li et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Arterial stiffness and obesity. Obesity and novel anthropometric indices vs. Normal BMI or lowest quartile of indices was evaluated on Elevated estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.90-2.40). Obesity increased the risk of elevated arterial stiffness compared to normal BMI, with novel indicators like WWI showing superior predictive performance.
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