Overview

• Adults with body fat percentage of at least 27% in men and 44% in women were 1.78 times more likely to die from any cause and 3.62 times more likely to die from heart disease over a 15-year period compared with those in healthy ranges.
• Individuals with waist circumferences over 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women were 1.59 times more likely to die from any cause and 4.01 times more likely to succumb to heart disease than those within healthy waist measurements.
• Overweight or obese BMI (25 kg/m² or higher) showed no statistically significant link to increased 15-year all-cause mortality among U.S. adults aged 20 to 49 (HR 1.25; 95% CI, 0.85–1.84).
• The analysis drew on bioelectrical impedance data from 4,252 participants in the 1999–2004 NHANES cohort, with deaths tracked via the National Death Index through 2019.
• Researchers urge the integration of affordable bioelectrical impedance devices into routine clinical practice to enable more accurate risk stratification than BMI alone.