
Obesity has long been known to contribute to chronic disease and even premature death. Now, a relatively new obesity indicator — the weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) — is measuring the potential for mortality in people who are obese and have asthma.
Newly analyzed research about this tool and its use in obesity and asthma was the focus of the study, “Weight-Adjusted Waist Index Is an Independent Predictor of All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality in Patients with Asthma.” The study, which was published in Heart & Lung, emphasized the value of considering obesity, via WWI, versus the Body Mass Index (BMI) when treating asthma patients.
“These findings demonstrate for the first time the prognostic value of WWI in the asthma population and support its use as a simple and easily accessible indicator to guide the management of asthma patients,” the authors wrote.
In the study, researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999–2018 to evaluate the relationship between WWI and mortality in the adult asthma population. Of the 101,316 participants, 3,223 people were diagnosed with asthma. The results showed that higher WWI is associated with increased all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and respiratory disease mortality. WWI, which is calculated as waist circumference divided by the square root of body weight, was found to be an independent predictor of mortality. Specifically, the breakdown revealed a 43% increase for all-cause mortality risk, a 58% increase in CVD, a 50% increase for cancer and a 79% increase for respiratory disease.
Researchers indicated participant age was a significant modifier in the risks and said the effects of WWI on mortality may be more pronounced in younger patients.
WWI looks at body composition, including visceral fat, which is associated with poor asthma control. It may be an important clinical tool in helping patients make dietary and lifestyle changes, the study concluded.
Researchers believe future research could validate their findings across different populations and chart a new direction in the management and treatment of asthma.