A Comprehensive Body Shape Evaluation System With Population Reference Ranges for Improved Disease Identification: Evidence From the China National Health Survey
Authors' conclusion
Age- and sex-specific reference centiles for body shape indicators can reflect trajectories of body composition and muscle health across the lifespan, which facilitates sarcopenia screening. The CBSI serves as an integrated screening tool for high-risk populations.
Study context
- Population
- Adults across six provinces, China National Health Survey, 2023–2025
- Exposure
- Composite body shape index (CBSI) > 0.5 vs CBSI < −0.5
- Outcome
- Odds of age-related chronic diseases
Methodological detailspopulation-based, six provinces, training and independent validation populations
- Population-based
- Six provinces
- Training and independent validation populations
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Each group vs CBSI < −0.5Estimate (95% CI)
CBSI > 0.5
OR (hypertension) 6.42(5.51–7.48)
CBSI > 0.5
OR (diabetes) 2.76(2.25–3.38)
CBSI > 0.5
OR (dyslipidemia) 3.86(3.37–4.41)
CBSI > 0.5
OR (hyperuricemia) 5.44(4.67–6.34)
CBSI > 0.5
OR (abnormal ECG) 1.63(1.24–2.13)
CBSI > 0.5
OR (coronary heart disease) 2.31(1.62–3.27)
CBSI > 0.5
OR (stroke) 3.05(1.95–4.78)
CBSI > 0.5
OR (CKD) 3.06(1.79–5.23)
CBSI > 0.5
OR (musculoskeletal disorders) 1.67(1.09–2.55)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Validation set and individuals aged > 60 years
- Associations persisted in the validation set (n = 5745) and individuals aged > 60 years
Incremental value of CBSI over BMI
- Adding CBSI to BMI-based models improved disease identification, with positive integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and category-free net reclassification improvement (NRI)
Body shape index trajectories
- Body shape index trajectories differed substantially by sex
Original publication
A Comprehensive Body Shape Evaluation System With Population Reference Ranges for Improved Disease Identification: Evidence From the China National Health Survey. Diabetes Obes Metab. Published 18 August 2026. doi:10.
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