Normal-weight central obesity and risk for mortality

Background: The association between obesity, defined in terms of body mass index (BMI), and mortality in the general population has been controversial. Various studies have examined whether central obesity has greater predictive utility than BMI. In a 2015 study of 15 184 adults, paradoxical results suggested that centrally obese participants defined as normal weight on the basis of BMI had the worst long-term survival even when compared with their overweight and obese counterparts. Objective: To replicate these analyses in a larger sample of adults in the general population.