ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES: To analyse the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and liver disease in men and women. DESIGN: The Midspan prospective cohort studies. PARTICIPANTS: The three

studies were: Main study, screened in 1965–1968, workplaces across Scotland, the general population of the island of Tiree and mainland relatives; Collaborative study, conducted from 1970 to

1973, 27 workplaces in Glasgow, Clydebank and Grangemouth; Renfrew/Paisley general population study, screened in 1972–1976. After exclusions there were 16 522 men and 10 216 women, grouped

by BMI into under/normal weight (< 25 kg m–2), overweight (25 to < 30 kg m–2) and obese (⩾30 kg m–2). MEASUREMENTS: Relative rates (RRs) of liver disease mortality, subdivided into

total, 146 men (0.9%) and 61 women (0.6%) died of liver disease as main cause. There were strong associations of BMI with liver disease mortality in men (RR per s.d. increase in BMI=1.41

(95% confidence interval 1.21–1.65)). Obese men had more than three times the rate of liver disease mortality than under/normal weight men. Adjustment for other risk factors had very little

effect. No substantial or robust associations were observed in women. In all, 325 men (2.5%) and 155 women (1.7%) had liver disease established from any source. Similar positive associations

were observed for men, and there was evidence of a relationship in women. CONCLUSIONS: BMI is related to liver disease, although not to liver disease mortality in women. The current rise in

overweight and obesity may lead to a continuing epidemic of liver disease. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your

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* Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS WAIST-HIP RATIO IS SUPERIOR TO BMI IN PREDICTING LIVER-RELATED

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14.3 MILLION KOREANS Article 05 March 2022 EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF LIVER CANCER ATTRIBUTABLE TO MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS FROM 1990 TO 2021 Article Open access 01 June

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Victor Hawthorne carried out the original Midspan studies. Pauline MacKinnon is the Midspan administrator. This research was supported by the Chief Scientist Office of the

Scottish Government, grant number CZG/2/421. G David Batty is a Wellcome Trust Fellow (WBS U.1300.00.006.00012.01). The Medical Research Council (MRC) Social and Public Health Sciences Unit

receives funding from the UK Medical Research Council and the Chief Scientist Office at the Scottish Government Health Directorates. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Division of

Community Based Sciences, Public Health and Health Policy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK C L Hart, D S Morrison & R J Mitchell * MRC Social and Public Health

Sciences Unit, Glasgow, UK G D Batty * Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK G Davey Smith Authors * C L Hart View author publications You can also search for

this author inPubMed Google Scholar * G D Batty View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * D S Morrison View author publications You can also

search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * R J Mitchell View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * G Davey Smith View author publications

You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to C L Hart. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The authors declare no conflict of

interest. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Supplementary Information accompanies the paper on International Journal of Obesity website SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION SUPPLEMENTARY TABLES RIGHTS AND

PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Hart, C., Batty, G., Morrison, D. _et al._ Obesity, overweight and liver disease in the Midspan prospective cohort

studies. _Int J Obes_ 34, 1051–1059 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2010.20 Download citation * Received: 22 October 2009 * Revised: 09 December 2009 * Accepted: 28 December 2009 *

Published: 09 February 2010 * Issue Date: June 2010 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2010.20 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

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disease * overweight * prospective cohort studies * Scotland