Associations of short-term weight changes and weight cycling with incidence of essential hypertension in the EPIC-Potsdam Study

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships of short-term weight gain, weight loss, and weight cycling on the odds of developing hypertension. Normotensive middle-aged German men and women ( n =12 362) of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Potsdam Study were assigned to categories of 2-year short-term weight changes that were self-reported to have occurred prior to recruitment into the study (gain only, loss only, weight cycling, stable). After 2 years of follow-up after recruitment, 180 cases of incident essential hypertension were identified. In logistic regression models, odds ratios were estimated for the associations between short-term weight changes and risk of developing hypertension. Obesity status (BMI⩾30 or BMI