A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association reveals that a higher body roundness index (BRI) trajectory is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The longitudinal population-based study, conducted using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), suggests that BRI could serve as a novel tool for CVD risk assessment.
The study, which followed 9,935 participants over the age of 45 for nearly a decade (2011-2020), assessed CVD events based on questionnaire responses collected every two years. Researchers used group-based trajectory modeling to identify BRI trajectories, categorizing participants into three groups: low-stable, moderate-stable, and high-stable.
BRI as a Predictor of CVD Risk
The results indicated a strong correlation between BRI trajectory and CVD incidence. Compared to participants in the low-risk group, those in the moderate-stable group had a 61% higher risk of developing CVD (HR, 1.61 [95% CI, 1.47–1.76]), while those in the high-stable group faced a 163% increased risk (HR, 2.63 [95% CI, 2.25–3.07]). This trend remained significant even after adjusting for demographic factors, medical history, medication history, and clinical characteristic variables.
Implications for CVD Risk Assessment
These findings highlight the potential of BRI as a valuable tool for identifying individuals at higher risk of CVD. "The BRI, first proposed in 2013, is an index used to quantify a person’s body shape by using waist circumference and height which provides a more accurate estimation of an individual’s body fat and visceral fat composition than traditional indices such as the body mass index," the researchers noted. Given the limitations of traditional indices like BMI, BRI offers a more nuanced assessment of body composition and its relationship to cardiovascular health.
The study's results support the use of BRI as a novel tool for the assessment of CVD risk, especially in populations where abdominal obesity is prevalent. Further research is needed to validate these findings in other populations and to explore the potential of BRI in guiding targeted interventions for CVD prevention.
