Associations of obesity factors with breathlessness
| Obesity indicator (each analysed separately) | OR for having breathlessness (mMRC ≥1) with 95% CIs | ||
| Crude | Adjusted for confounders but not FVC | Adjusted for confounders and FVC | |
| Current BMI | |||
| <20 | 1.72 (1.08 to 2.73) | 1.24 (0.69 to 2.23) | 1.18 (0.62 to 2.24) |
| 20 to <25 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| 25 to <30 | 1.53 (1.36 to 1.72) | 1.54 (1.43 to 1.66) | 1.47 (1.35 to 1.60) |
| ≥30 | 4.37 (3.70 to 5.16) | 3.54 (3.03 to 4.13) | 3.07 (2.62 to 3.61) |
| AUC for model (with all categories) | 0.647 | 0.805 | 0.816 |
| BMI change since age 20 | |||
| Estimate per one unit (kg/m2) increase since age 20 | 1.18 (1.17 to 1.20) | 1.14 (1.12 to 1.15) | 1.12 (1.11 to 1.13) |
| AUC for model | 0.694 | 0.810 | 0.821 |
| BMI change/year since age 20 | |||
| Estimate per 1 SD/year increase in BMI since age 20 | 1.83 (1.73 to 1.94) | 1.64 (1.56 to 1.74) | 1.56 (1.48 to 1.63) |
| AUC for model | 0.685 | 0.810 | 0.820 |
| Waist circumference (current) | |||
| Estimate per 1 cm increase | 1.04 (1.03 to 1.04) | 1.04 (1.04 to 1.04) | 1.04 (1.03 to 1.04) |
| AUC for model | 0.631 | 0.806 | 0.819 |
| Central obesity (current) | |||
| Estimate compared with without central obesity | 3.24 (2.65 to 3.95) | 2.18 (1.75 to 2.72) | 2.12 (1.71 to 2.62) |
| AUC for model | 0.642 | 0.799 | 0.813 |
Associations between obesity factors and breathlessness. Each obesity factor was analysed separately. Covariates in the adjusted models were age, sex, current smoking, FEV1/FVC z-score, asthma, hypertension, heart failure, anxiety, depression and level of physical exercise. Models with additional adjustment for absolute FVC were evaluated.
AUC, area under the curve; FEV, forced expired volume in one second; FVC, forced vital capacity; mMRC, modified Medical Research Council.