by Yujing Zhou, Minrui Zeng, Yuntao Chen, Piotr Bandosz, Eric Brunner, Jing Liao Background Dementia, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and functional impairment (FI) often co-occur in aging populations, with abdominal obesity as a shared modifiable risk factor. The long-term impact of abdominal obesity on these comorbidities is unclear.
We projected the 30-year burden of dementia, FI, and CVD in China under different trajectories of abdominal obesity prevalence. Methods and findings We modeled three trajectories of abdominal obesity prevalence from 2020 to 2050 using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (2000–2015): continuation of the observed growth prevalence trend (persistent), stabilization at 2015 levels (optimal), and a 50% reduction in the growth rate (improved).
Abdominal obesity was defined as a waist circumference of ≥90 cm for men and ≥85 cm for women.
PLOS Medicine published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 07 Apr 2026.
The item focuses on Impact of abdominal obesity prevalence trends on dementia, cardiovascular disease, functional impairment, and mortality in older Chinese adults: A Markov scenario simulation, 2020–2050.
Review the original article for the full source wording and details.