Obesity in relation to morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease

Representative population samples of middle-aged women (1462 participants, a participation rate of 90.1%) were followed from 1968-1969 for 10 years with respect to morbidity and mortality from myocardial infarction, stroke and all causes of death. The same sample (1302 participants, 80.3%) was studied in 1974-1975. Data on the incidences of angina pectoris, intermittent claudication and hypertension in these women during the 6-year interval were analyzed. Obesity as a premorbid characteristic was estimated by weight index and sum of triceps and subscapsular skinfold thicknesses. The overall trends between weight index and the incidences of myocardial infarction and angina pectoris were weak, while there were excess frequencies in the top quintiles, indicating that only marked obesity constitutes an increased risk. The incidence of hypertension was positively correlated to both indices of obesity. The death rate irrespective of cause was negatively correlated to the sum of skinfolds but was not correlated to the weight index. The death rate from myocardial infarction seemed to be correlated to both obesity indices.