Association Between Body Roundness Index and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in US Adults: Data from NHANES 2013-2018.

Abstract

Background: The association between the body roundness index (BRI) and the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in US adults remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between BRI and the likelihood of developing COPD.

Methods: This study was conducted based on data from the 2013-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants were classified as having COPD if they met any of the following criteria: (i) self-reported physician diagnosis of COPD; (ii) physician-confirmed diagnosis of emphysema; or (iii) physician-confirmed diagnosis of chronic bronchitis. Those who responded "no" to all of the above were categorized as non-COPD. To assess the association between BRI and COPD, weighted logistic regression models, subgroup analyses, and interaction tests were employed. The dose-response relationship was investigated using a restricted cubic spline (RCS) model.

Results: A total of 14,254 individuals were included. The overall weighted prevalence of COPD was 8.3%. After adjusting for multiple confounders, continuous BRI was found to be positively associated with COPD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.140, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.033-1.259, P = 0.012). The RCS analysis confirmed a linear dose-response relationship between BRI and COPD. Subgroup analyses demonstrated substantial heterogeneity across sex, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease subgroups, indicating that the association between BRI and COPD may be impacted by these factors.

Conclusion: Higher BRI levels were positively associated with an increased likelihood of developing COPD among US adults. Our study suggests that BRI holds promise as a tool for assessing the odds of having COPD.