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AlzRisk Paper Detail
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Reference: Whitmer, 2007
Cohort: Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program of Northern California
Risk Factor: Obesity


Exposure Detail
Method of BMI ascertainment: technician measurement

"Trained technicians performed all anthropometric measures
according to the Nutritional Academy of Anthropometry
Standards [14]. Height and weight were measured using a
balance beam scale calibrated to the nearest half pound, and a tape measure with standard positioning [15]. BMI was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height squared. BMI was analyzed according to both WHO classification criteria; underweight (<18.5), normal weight (18.5-24.9), overweight ( 25.0-29.0), and obese (>=30)."

"For the WHO models, the reference group was normal weight (a BMI between 18.5-24.9)."

The authors conducted the analyses with and without restricting to either sex and adjusting for different sets of covariates. The results given in this row were adjusted for age, gender, education and time-dependent co-morbidies and correspond to men only.

Ethnicity Detail
"Race categories included self-reported Caucasian,
Black, Asian or Other."

Age Detail
All participants were between 40 and 45 years of age at recruitment for this study (between 1964 and 1973).

Screening and Diagnosis Detail
Screening Method:
Other

AD Diagnosis:
Medical History

"To increase both the sensitivity and specificity of our
study, we excluded from the study those who had a diagnoses
of dementia from a primary care physician (N =1216),and only considered AD and VaD diagnoses from Neurology
visits and hospitalizations. We ascertained AD and VaD
status from January 1994 to June 15, 2006 when the participants
were 65-88 years of age. Diagnoses were obtained
from medical records at Kaiser Permanente hospitals and
clinics in visits to the Neurology department, using ICD9
codes 3331.0 and 290.4. There were 36 participants who had
a diagnosis of both AD and VaD and were excluded from the
analysis."

Covariates & Analysis Detail
Analysis Type:
Cox proportional hazards regression

AD Covariates:
Aage
Eeducation
Ggender
AMage in midlife
DMdiabetes mellitus
HChigh cholesterol
HTNhypertension
IHDischemic heart disease
MSmarital status
RErace/ethnicity
SMsmoking status
SHstroke history