Weight-adjusted waist index and deficit accumulation frailty trajectories in middle-aged and older adults: a longitudinal study

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Abstract
Previous studies indicated that obesity defined by BMI accelerate frailty, but this effect weakens when stratified by metabolic status. The Weight-adjusted Waist Index (WWI), a better indicator of central obesity, may provide a more accurate measurement. The primary aim of this study was to estimate the impact of WWI on frailty progression and compare its effects across different metabolic statuses. We used data from 10,440 participants aged 45 and older from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).The Frailty Index (FI) was derived from 32 health deficits. K-means clustering identified three trajectories for WWI or BMI: stable low, stable moderate, and stable high. Longitudinal associations were assessed using Accelerated Failure Time and linear mixed models. Each Standard deviation (SD) increment in WWI was linked to a faster onset of frailty [Time ratio (TR) = 0.899; 95% CI 0.872 to 0.926; p < 0.001] and accelerated FI progression (β = 0.186/year; 95% CI 0.152 to 0.220/year; p < 0.001). For BMI, each SD increment was associated with a shorter time to frailty onset (TR = 0.943; 95% CI 0.917 to 0.970; p < 0.001), which was positively correlated with the accelerated FI, but this estimate is imprecise. Smooth curve fitting revealed a dose–response relationship between WWI and FI and a U-shaped relationship between BMI and FI. In WWI trajectories, stable moderate, and stable high groups presented shorter frailty onset time and accelerated FI progression. For BMI trajectories, only the stable high group was associated with frailty progression in participants without baseline underweight. Stratified analysis showed that the association between WWI and FI progression remained consistent across different metabolic statuses, while the association between BMI and FI progression was weakened in all subgroups. WWI accelerates the progression of frailty,and remains consistent across different metabolic statuses, unlike BMI. This indicates that WWI may better capture obesity-related frailty risk, emphasizing the role of central obesity in frailty assessment.
Funding Information
  • Shenzhen Key Medical Discipline Construction Fund (SZXK003)
  • Sanming Project of Medicine in Shenzen Municipality (SZSM201412012)

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