Hypertension modifies the associations of body mass index and waist circumference with all-cause mortality among older Chinese: a retrospective cohort study

The effect of baseline hypertension status on the BMI-mortality association is still unclear. We aimed to explore the relationships of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) with all-cause mortality among older hypertensive and normotensive Chinese individuals. This retrospective cohort study was conducted in Xinzheng, Henan Province, Central China. The data came from the residents' electronic health records of the Xinzheng Hospital Information System. A total of 77,295 participants (41,357 hypertensive participants and 35,938 normotensive participants) aged ≥ 60 years were included from January 2011 to November 2019. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to examine the relationships. During a mean follow-up of 5.3 years, 10,755 deaths were identified (6,377 in hypertensive participants and 4,378 in normotensive participants). In adjusted models, compared with a BMI of 18.5-24 kg/m , the hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of BMI