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original article

General and Abdominal Adiposity and Risk of Death in Europe
T. Pischon, M.D., M.P.H., H. Boeing, Ph.D., M.S.P.H.,K. Hoffmann, Ph.D.,* M. Bergmann, Ph.D., M.B. Schulze, Dr.P.H., K. Overvad, M.D., Ph.D., Y.T. van der Schouw, Ph.D., E. Spencer, Ph.D., K.G.M. Moons, Ph.D., A. Tjønneland, M.D., Ph.D., Dr.Med.Sci.,J. Halkjaer, Ph.D., M.K. Jensen, Ph.D., J. Stegger, M.D., F. Clavel-Chapelon, Ph.D., M.-C. Boutron-Ruault, Ph.D., V. Chajes, Ph.D., J. Linseisen, Ph.D., R. Kaaks, Ph.D., A. Trichopoulou, M.D., Ph.D.,D. Trichopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., C. Bamia, Ph.D., S. Sieri, Ph.D., D. Palli, M.D., R. Tumino, M.D., P. Vineis, M.D., M.P.H., S. Panico, M.D., M.Sc., P.H.M. Peeters, M.D., Ph.D., A.M. May, Ph.D., H.B.Bueno-de-Mesquita, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., F.J.B. van Duijnhoven, Ph.D., G. Hallmans, M.D., L. Weinehall, M.D., Ph.D., J. Manjer, M.D., Ph.D., B. Hedblad, M.D., Ph.D., E. Lund, M.D., Ph.D., A. Agudo, Ph.D.,L. Arriola, Ph.D., A. Barricarte, Ph.D., C. Navarro, M.D., Ph.D., C. Martinez, M.D., J.R. Quirós, M.D., T. Key, D.Phil., S. Bingham, Ph.D., K.T. Khaw, M.B., B.Chir., P. Boffetta, M.D., M.P.H., M.Jenab, Ph.D., P. Ferrari, Ph.D., and E. Riboli, M.D., M.P.H., Sc.M.

A bs t r ac t
Background

Previous studies have relied predominantly on the body-mass index (BMI, the weight in kilograms dividedby the square of the height in meters) to assess the association of adiposity with the risk of death, but few have examined whether the distribution of body fat contributes to the prediction of death.Methods

The authors’ affiliations are listed in the Appendix. Address reprint requests to Dr. Tobias Pischon at the Department of Epidemiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition,Potsdam-Rehbruecke, ArthurScheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany, or at pischon@dife.de. *Deceased. N Engl J Med 2008;359:2105-20.
Copyright © 2008 Massachusetts Medical Society.

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