Citation

Mukamal KJ, Rimm EB, Kawachi I, O'Reilly EJ, Calle EE, Miller M. Epidemiology 2010; 21(1): 82-86.

Affiliation

From the aDivision of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA; Departments of bNutrition and cEpidemiology, Harvard School of Public Heath, Boston, MA; dChanning Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Har

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/EDE.0b013e3181c1fa2d

PMID

19907331

Abstract

BACKGROUND:: Body mass index (BMI) has been linked with both increased and decreased risk of suicide attempts and deaths. METHODS:: In a prospective cohort study of 1.1 million adults, participants reported their anthropometric and other characteristics in 1982. Participants were followed for cause-specific mortality through 2004. RESULTS:: A total of 2231 participants died of suicide during 21.6 million person-years of follow-up. Compared with a BMI of 18.5-22.9 kg/m, adjusted hazard ratios for completed suicide were 0.99 (95% confidence interval = 0.72-1.37), 0.78 (0.69-0.88), 0.73 (0.65-0.82), 0.72 (0.62-0.83), 0.77 (0.65-0.92), and 0.55 (0.36-0.83) for BMI values <18.5, 23.0-24.9, 25.0-27.4, 27.5-29.9, 30.0-34.9, and >/=35.0 kg/m, respectively. The relationship was consistent among men and women and across geographic regions, but was limited to married individuals (test for interaction, P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS:: The risk of death from suicide is inversely related to BMI in middle-aged and older adults.

Language: en