Sources of heterogeneity in studies of the BMI-mortality association

作者：Peter Raphael Simon^*; Nagel Gabriele

来源：Journal of Epidemiology, 2017, 27(6): 294-297.

DOI：10.1016/j.je.2016.06.007

• Body mass index
• Mortality
• Heterogeneity

Background: To date, the amount of heterogeneity among studies of the body mass index-mortality association attributable to differences in the age distribution and length of follow-up has not been quantified. Therefore, we wanted to quantify the amount of heterogeneity attributable to age and followup in results of studies on the body mass index-mortality relation.
Methods: We used optima of the body mass index mortality association reported for 30 populations and performed meta-regression to estimate the amount of heterogeneity attributable to sex, ethnicity, mean age at baseline, percentage smokers, and length of follow-up.
Results: Ethnicity as single factor accounted for 36% (95% CI, 11-56%) of heterogeneity. Mean age and length of follow-up had an interactive effect and together accounted for 56% (95% CI, 24-74%) of the remaining heterogeneity. Sex did not significantly contribute to the heterogeneity, after controlling for ethnicity, age, and length of follow-up.
Conclusions: A considerable amount of heterogeneity in studies of the body mass index-mortality association is attributable to ethnicity, age, and length of follow-up.

• 出版日期2017-6