Objective: The study objective was to examine the associations among visceral fat (VF), all-cause mortality, and obesity-related mortality.
Research design and methods: A total of 733 Japanese Americans were followed for 16.9 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) per interquartile range increase in VF were calculated using time-dependent Cox proportional hazard models censored at age 82 years, with age as the time axis adjusted for sex and smoking.
Results: Higher VF was associated with all-cause mortality (HR 1.39 [95% CI 1.11-1.75] 107 deaths) and obesity-related mortality (1.39 [1.04-1.85], 68 deaths from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or obesity-related cancer). After further adjustment for waist circumference, VF remained significantly associated with all-cause mortality (1.41 [1.04-1.92]) but not with obesity-related mortality. The associations between mortality and VF were not independent of BMI.
Conclusions: VF was associated with all-cause mortality and obesity-related mortality in Japanese Americans. VF did not significantly improve mortality risk assessment beyond that of BMI.