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Cornell Research Tables

Table 1: Percentage Excess Mortality Risk Associated With Specific Values of BMI (Relative to BMI between 23 and 25)
BMI Category Alameda
County Health
Study
1965-75		 Framingham
Heart Study
1959-85		 Tecumseh
Community
Health Study
1948-80		 American
Cancer Society
Cancer
Prevention
Study I
1960-72		 Nurses’ Health
Study
1976-92		 NHANES I
Epidemiologic
Follow-Up
Study
1971-92
<23 23 26 5 5 -9 24
23 to <25 0 0 0 0 0 0
25 to <26 -6 9 17 4 0 -12
26 to <27 -12 8 14 8 9 -9
27 to <28 23 16 -17 10 20 -5
28 to <29 7 35 -19 16 34 16
29 to <30 14 65 32 20 50 26
30 to 35 64 52 60 36 66 61
>35 176 96 52 76 80 124
Table 2: Decreased Risk of Specific Diseases Associated With Reductions in BMI
Magnitude of Benefit Associated With Lower BMI Notes on Study Population and Assumptions Citation to Scientific Literature
A reduction of one BMI unit is associated with a reduction in the probability of diabetes of 11.6% and a reduction in the probability of heart disease of 5.2%. Cross-sectional study of employees and spouses in a manufacturing company during 2001-02. Estimates correspond to within the BMI range of 25 to 45 kg/m2. Adjustment for age and sex. Wang et al. (2006), Table 4
A five-unit reduction in BMI is associated with 16% lower risk of coronary heart disease. Meta-analysis of 21 published studies. Adjustment for blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Bogers et al. (2007), Table 3
A reduction of one BMI unit is associated with a 9% lower risk of heart failure later in life. Framingham Heart Study. Adjustment for age, sex, health status, and later-life BMI. Lee et al. (2007), Table 3
A one-unit decrease in BMI is associated with a 14% lower risk of sleep apnea. Cleveland Family Study. Adjustment for age, gender, and cholesterol. Tishler et al. (2003), Table 5
A five-unit decrease in BMI is associated with a 39% decreased risk of colon cancer in North American men and with a 17% decreased risk in North American women. A five-unit decrease in BMI is associated with a 17% decreased risk of rectal cancer in North American women (lack of studies for North American men). Meta-analysis of dozens of published studies. Larsson and Wolk (2007), Table 2
A five-unit decrease in BMI is associated with a 5% lower risk of prostate cancer in men. Meta-analysis of 25 published studies. MacInnis and English (2006)
One-unit decrease in BMI is associated with 16% lower probability of pancreatic cancer in men, and a 10% lower probability of pancreatic cancer in women. Meta-analysis of 21 published studies. Larsson, Orsini and Wolk (2007)
Table 3: Decreased Health Care Utilization and Costs Associated With Reductions in BMI
Magnitude of Benefit Associated With Lower BMI Notes on Study Population and Assumptions Citation to Scientific Literature
Each unit decrease in BMI decreases the annual risk of hospitalization by 11%. Sample of matched pairs of obese and nonobese patients enrolled in Kaiser Permanente of Colorado. Adjustment for age and chronic diseases. Raebel et al. (2004)
A reduction of one BMI unit was associated with medical costs falling $119.70 (4%) and pharmaceutical costs falling $82.60 (7%). Separately by gender: For men, a reduction of one BMI unit was associated with medical costs falling $107 and drug costs falling $85.90. For women, a reduction of one BMI unit was associated with medical costs falling $130.80 and drug costs falling $79.30. Cross-sectional study of employees and spouses in a manufacturing company during 2001 and 2002. Adjustment for age and gender. Wang et al. (2006)
A one-unit decrease in BMI is associated with a 1.9% decrease in medical charges. Sample of adults aged 40 years or older who were enrolled in a Minnesota health plan and completed a questionnaire. Adjustment for age, gender, ethnicity and health status. Pronk et al. (1999), Table 3
A one-unit decrease in BMI is associated with a 2.3% decrease in total billed health care costs. Sample of matched pairs of obese and nonobese patients enrolled in Kaiser Permanente of Colorado. Adjustment for age, gender, and chronic diseases. Raebel et al. (2004), Table 5
Table 4: Labor Market and Quality of Life Benefits Associated With Reductions in BMI
Magnitude of Benefit Associated With Lower BMI Notes on Study Population and Assumptions Citation to Scientific Literature
A decrease in BMI of one unit is associated with 1.7% higher wages for white females. National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 Cohort. Adjustment for age, education, intelligence test score, family background, work experience, job tenure, marital status, local unemployment rate, region of residence, and other factors. Cawley (2004), Tables 5 and 6
A decrease in BMI of one unit is associated with 0.24 percentage points higher quality of life for men and 0.34 percentage points higher quality of life for women. Australian 1995 National Health Survey, age 18-79. Adjustment for age, smoking status, age left school, and income. Kortt and Clark (2005)