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Mortality attributable to higher-than-optimal body mass index in New Zealand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

Cliona Ni Mhurchu ,
Maria Turley ,
Niki Stefanogiannis ,
Carlene MM Lawes ,
Anthony Rodgers ,
Stephen Vander Hoorn  and
Martin Tobias
Cliona Ni Mhurchu*
Affiliation:
Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92 019, Auckland, New Zealand
Maria Turley
Affiliation:
Public Health Intelligence Unit, Ministry of Health, Wellington, New Zealand
Niki Stefanogiannis
Affiliation:
Public Health Intelligence Unit, Ministry of Health, Wellington, New Zealand
Carlene MM Lawes
Affiliation:
Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92 019, Auckland, New Zealand
Anthony Rodgers
Affiliation:
Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92 019, Auckland, New Zealand
Stephen Vander Hoorn
Affiliation:
Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92 019, Auckland, New Zealand
Martin Tobias
Affiliation:
Public Health Intelligence Unit, Ministry of Health, Wellington, New Zealand
*
*Corresponding author: Email c.nimhurchu@ctru.auckland.ac.nz
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Abstract

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Objectives

To estimate the burden of mortality in New Zealand due to higher-than-optimal body mass index (BMI) in 1997, as well as mortality that could be avoided in 2011 with feasible changes in mean population BMI.

Setting

New Zealand.

Design

Comparative risk assessment methodology was used to estimate the attributable and avoidable mortality due to high BMI. Outcomes assessed were ischaemic heart disease (IHD), ischaemic stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, colorectal cancer and postmenopausal breast cancer.

Results

In 1997, 3154 deaths (11% of all deaths) in New Zealand were due to higher-than-optimal BMI (<21 kg m−2). This amounted to 83% of diabetes deaths, 24% of IHD deaths, 15% of ischaemic stroke deaths and 4% of all cancer deaths. If the projected increase in mean population BMI by 2011 was limited to 1.0 kg m−2 rather than 1.3 kg m−2, approximately 385 deaths could be prevented annually, mainly from diabetes.

Conclusions

These results quantify the importance of higher-than-optimal BMI as a major modifiable cause of premature death in New Zealand. Intervention policies that would have only modest effects on slowing the rate of increase in mean population BMI by 2011 could still prevent hundreds of deaths annually.

Keywords

Body mass indexObesityMortalityNew Zealand
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 8 , Issue 4 , June 2005 , pp. 402 - 408
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2005

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