Body roundness index and the incidence of kidney disease: A prospective cohort study from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study
Xixi Yu, Zihao Shen, Xiaofang Li, Mingcheng Liu, Xin Liu, Yincong Luo, Ying Wang, Yirong Liu
Kidney disease (KD) poses a growing global health burden, with obesity contributing to its development. The body roundness index (BRI), a novel anthropometric measure reflecting visceral adiposity, may better predict KD risk than body mass index, but longitudinal evidence is limited. In this prospective cohort study, we analyzed 8401 adults aged ≥ 45 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, free of KD at baseline. BRI was calculated from waist circumference and height. Incident KD was ascertained via physician-diagnosed questionnaires during 4 follow-ups (2013–2020). Cox proportional-hazards models were used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), with adjustment for multiple covariates. Dose–response relationships were evaluated using restricted cubic splines and 2-piecewise linear regression, with subgroup analyses performed to examine effect modification. During follow-up, higher BRI was significantly associated with an increased risk of incident KD (HR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.02–1.19;