Key result
Highest mid-arm circumference tertile linked to ~28% lower all-cause mortality in normal-weight adults.
Why the study?
Epidemiological studies have shown that mid-arm circumference can predict death risk and malnutrition, but its association with mortality in obese and non-obese US adults was unclear.
Is mid-arm circumference associated with all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in obese and non-obese adults?
Observational (n=11,958)
Is mid-arm circumference associated with all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in obese and non-obese adults?
Higher mid-arm circumference is inversely associated with all-cause mortality in non-obese US adults, suggesting it may be a useful predictor of mortality risk.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May inform mortality risk assessment in normal-weight adults; leaves open incremental value beyond BMI in prospective cohorts.
Epidemiological studies have shown that mid-arm circumference (MAC) can be used to predict death risk and malnutrition. We performed a retrospective observational study involving 11,958 US participants aged 20–90 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, 1988–1994, to determine the correlation between MAC and all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality risk in the obese and non-obese population. Death certificate data were obtained up to 2006. The participants were divided into three groups on the basis of body mass index: 19 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m2 (normal weight group), 25 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m2 (overweight group) and BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (obesity group); each group was then divided into three subgroups depending on their MAC level. In the non-obese population, MAC was inversely associated with all-cause mortality; specifically, in the normal weight group, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio of the T3 (29.6–42.0) cm subgroup was 0.72 (95% confidence interval: 0.58–0.90) when compared with the T1 (18.0–27.2) cm, while the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio of the T2 (27.3–29.5) cm subgroup was 0.76 (95% confidence interval: 0.64–0.91) when compared with the T1 (18.0–27.2) cm subgroup. The results indicate that MAC is inversely associated with all-cause mortality in non-obese individuals in the United States.
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Wu et al. (2017) conducted an observational in General population (obese and non-obese) (n=11,958). Higher mid-arm circumference (MAC) vs. Lowest MAC tertile (T1) was evaluated on All-cause mortality in normal weight adults (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.58-0.90). Higher mid-arm circumference was inversely associated with all-cause mortality in normal-weight adults, with the highest tertile demonstrating a 28% lower risk (HR 0.72) compared to the lowest tertile.
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