Longitudinal patterns of obesity index changes and risk of incident rheumatoid arthritis: evidence from a population-based cohort
Authors' conclusion
The findings suggest that specific dynamic changes in obesity indices are associated with an increased risk of RA
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank participants aged 40–73 years with at least two obesity index measurements354 incident rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
- Participants
- 68,061 participants
- Exposure
- Longitudinal patterns of change in body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and body roundness index (BRI) and incident RA
- Outcome
- Incident RA
- Follow-up
- Median 4.06 years
Methodological detailspopulation-based, Cox regression, restricted cubic spline models
- Population-based
- Cox regression
- Restricted cubic spline models
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Hazard ratio (95% CI)
Stable overweight
1.45(1.12–1.88)
Stable abdominal obesity
1.48(1.12–1.96)
Stable high BRI
1.46(1.12–1.89)
Non-abdominal obesity to abdominal obesity39% increase in RA risk
1.39(1.00–1.91)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Annual average rate of change (AARC) in BMI and RA risk (RCS model)
- Non-linear association; RA risk increasing when AARC exceeded 1.106
- P for non-linearity = 0.019
Original publication
Longitudinal patterns of obesity index changes and risk of incident rheumatoid arthritis: evidence from a population-based cohort. Arthritis Res Ther. Published 29 September 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →