Weight-adjusted waist index and deficit accumulation frailty trajectories in middle-aged and older adults: a longitudinal study

Abstract Introduction Previous studies indicated that obesity defined by BMI accelerate frailty, but this effect weakens when stratified by metabolic status. The Weight-adjusted Waist Index (WWI), a better indicator of central obesity, may provide a more accurate measurement. The primary aim of this...

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Main Authors: Peng Zeng, Cheng Jiang, Han Yin, Mengyuan Zhou, Huijie He, Da Yin, Feng Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-06-01
Series:Nutrition Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-025-01153-1
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author Peng Zeng
Cheng Jiang
Han Yin
Mengyuan Zhou
Huijie He
Da Yin
Feng Lin
author_facet Peng Zeng
Cheng Jiang
Han Yin
Mengyuan Zhou
Huijie He
Da Yin
Feng Lin
author_sort Peng Zeng
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Introduction Previous studies indicated that obesity defined by BMI accelerate frailty, but this effect weakens when stratified by metabolic status. The Weight-adjusted Waist Index (WWI), a better indicator of central obesity, may provide a more accurate measurement. The primary aim of this study was to estimate the impact of WWI on frailty progression and compare its effects across different metabolic statuses. Methods We used data from 10,440 participants aged 45 and older from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).The Frailty Index (FI) was derived from 32 health deficits. K-means clustering identified three trajectories for WWI or BMI: stable low, stable moderate, and stable high. Longitudinal associations were assessed using Accelerated Failure Time and linear mixed models. Results Each Standard deviation (SD) increment in WWI was linked to a faster onset of frailty [Time ratio (TR) = 0.899; 95% CI 0.872 to 0.926; p < 0.001] and accelerated FI progression (β = 0.186/year; 95% CI 0.152 to 0.220/year; p < 0.001). For BMI, each SD increment was associated with a shorter time to frailty onset (TR = 0.943; 95% CI 0.917 to 0.970; p < 0.001), which was positively correlated with the accelerated FI, but this estimate is imprecise. Smooth curve fitting revealed a dose–response relationship between WWI and FI and a U-shaped relationship between BMI and FI. In WWI trajectories, stable moderate, and stable high groups presented shorter frailty onset time and accelerated FI progression. For BMI trajectories, only the stable high group was associated with frailty progression in participants without baseline underweight. Stratified analysis showed that the association between WWI and FI progression remained consistent across different metabolic statuses, while the association between BMI and FI progression was weakened in all subgroups. Conclusion WWI accelerates the progression of frailty,and remains consistent across different metabolic statuses, unlike BMI. This indicates that WWI may better capture obesity-related frailty risk, emphasizing the role of central obesity in frailty assessment. Graphical Abstract
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spelling doaj-art-4a5edf2d353e4e2eb01facf153a23f932025-08-20T03:25:15ZengBMCNutrition Journal1475-28912025-06-0124111610.1186/s12937-025-01153-1Weight-adjusted waist index and deficit accumulation frailty trajectories in middle-aged and older adults: a longitudinal studyPeng Zeng0Cheng Jiang1Han Yin2Mengyuan Zhou3Huijie He4Da Yin5Feng Lin6Department of Cardiology, Shenzhen Cardiovascular Minimally Invasive Medical Engineering Technology Research and Development Center, Shenzhen People’s Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology)Department of Cardiology, Shenzhen Cardiovascular Minimally Invasive Medical Engineering Technology Research and Development Center, Shenzhen People’s Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology)Department of Cardiology, Shenzhen Cardiovascular Minimally Invasive Medical Engineering Technology Research and Development Center, Shenzhen People’s Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology)Department of Pharmacy, Guangdong Women and Children HospitalDepartment of Geriatrics, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen People’s HospitalDepartment of Cardiology, Shenzhen Cardiovascular Minimally Invasive Medical Engineering Technology Research and Development Center, Shenzhen People’s Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology)Department of Cardiology, Shenzhen Cardiovascular Minimally Invasive Medical Engineering Technology Research and Development Center, Shenzhen People’s Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology)Abstract Introduction Previous studies indicated that obesity defined by BMI accelerate frailty, but this effect weakens when stratified by metabolic status. The Weight-adjusted Waist Index (WWI), a better indicator of central obesity, may provide a more accurate measurement. The primary aim of this study was to estimate the impact of WWI on frailty progression and compare its effects across different metabolic statuses. Methods We used data from 10,440 participants aged 45 and older from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).The Frailty Index (FI) was derived from 32 health deficits. K-means clustering identified three trajectories for WWI or BMI: stable low, stable moderate, and stable high. Longitudinal associations were assessed using Accelerated Failure Time and linear mixed models. Results Each Standard deviation (SD) increment in WWI was linked to a faster onset of frailty [Time ratio (TR) = 0.899; 95% CI 0.872 to 0.926; p < 0.001] and accelerated FI progression (β = 0.186/year; 95% CI 0.152 to 0.220/year; p < 0.001). For BMI, each SD increment was associated with a shorter time to frailty onset (TR = 0.943; 95% CI 0.917 to 0.970; p < 0.001), which was positively correlated with the accelerated FI, but this estimate is imprecise. Smooth curve fitting revealed a dose–response relationship between WWI and FI and a U-shaped relationship between BMI and FI. In WWI trajectories, stable moderate, and stable high groups presented shorter frailty onset time and accelerated FI progression. For BMI trajectories, only the stable high group was associated with frailty progression in participants without baseline underweight. Stratified analysis showed that the association between WWI and FI progression remained consistent across different metabolic statuses, while the association between BMI and FI progression was weakened in all subgroups. Conclusion WWI accelerates the progression of frailty,and remains consistent across different metabolic statuses, unlike BMI. This indicates that WWI may better capture obesity-related frailty risk, emphasizing the role of central obesity in frailty assessment. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-025-01153-1Central obesityFrailty progressionCohort studyMetabolic statusTrajectory modeling
spellingShingle Peng Zeng
Cheng Jiang
Han Yin
Mengyuan Zhou
Huijie He
Da Yin
Feng Lin
Weight-adjusted waist index and deficit accumulation frailty trajectories in middle-aged and older adults: a longitudinal study
Nutrition Journal
Central obesity
Frailty progression
Cohort study
Metabolic status
Trajectory modeling
title Weight-adjusted waist index and deficit accumulation frailty trajectories in middle-aged and older adults: a longitudinal study
title_full Weight-adjusted waist index and deficit accumulation frailty trajectories in middle-aged and older adults: a longitudinal study
title_fullStr Weight-adjusted waist index and deficit accumulation frailty trajectories in middle-aged and older adults: a longitudinal study
title_full_unstemmed Weight-adjusted waist index and deficit accumulation frailty trajectories in middle-aged and older adults: a longitudinal study
title_short Weight-adjusted waist index and deficit accumulation frailty trajectories in middle-aged and older adults: a longitudinal study
title_sort weight adjusted waist index and deficit accumulation frailty trajectories in middle aged and older adults a longitudinal study
topic Central obesity
Frailty progression
Cohort study
Metabolic status
Trajectory modeling
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-025-01153-1
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