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Association between body mass index and the risk of falls: a nationwide population-based study

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Abstract

Summary

The association of BMI with falls differed between men and women in Korea. Obesity was associated with a greater risk of falls in women, whereas underweight seemed to increase the risk of falls compared with normal weight in men.

Purpose

This study examined the sex-specific association between body mass index (BMI) and falls in Korean adults using data from a large population-based survey.

Methods

We analyzed 113,805 men and women (age ≥ 50 years) who participated in the Korean Community Health Survey in 2013. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between BMI and falls.

Results

The mean (± standard deviation) age and BMI of all participants were 63.8 ± 9.6 years and 23.2 ± 2.9 kg/m2, respectively. Among the 113,805 subjects, 19.1% and 6.7% had histories of falls and recurrent falls, respectively. The association of BMI with recurrent falls differed between men and women. The multivariable-adjusted odd ratios (ORs) for recurrent falls were 0.98 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.86–1.12), 1.23 (1.14–1.32), and 1.51 (1.26–1.81) in women with BMIs of < 18.5, 25–29.9, and ≥ 30 kg/m2, respectively, relative to those with BMIs of 18.5–24.9 kg/m2. The corresponding ORs for men were 1.20 (95% CI 1.01–1.42), 1.05 (0.96–1.14), and 0.97 (0.69–1.38), respectively. Older age and low economic level were associated independently with higher ORs of recurrent falls in men and women, respectively. In addition, comorbidities, including diabetes, stroke, arthritis, osteoporosis, and asthma, correlated significantly with an increased risk of recurrent falls (all p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Obesity was associated with a greater risk of recurrent falls in women, whereas underweight seemed to be associated with a greater risk of falls in men.

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Data availability

There were some restrictions to accessing the raw data. The data are available from the Community Health Survey (CHS) conducted by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but access to confidential data is limited to researchers who meet the necessary criteria; basically, any researchers who propose a study subjects and plans with standardized proposal form, and being approved.

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Author notes

  1. S.K. Kim and S.H. Kim contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, Gangneung, South Korea

    S.-W. Yi

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, International St. Mary’s Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, Simgokro 100Gil 25, Seo-gu, Incheon, 22711, South Korea

    Y.M. Kim, Y.J. Won & S.H. Kim

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Cha University College of Medicine, Yatapro 59, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 13496, South Korea

    S.K. Kim

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  1. S.-W. Yi
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Correspondence to S.H. Kim.

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Yi, SW., Kim, Y., Won, Y. et al. Association between body mass index and the risk of falls: a nationwide population-based study. Osteoporos Int 32, 1071–1078 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-020-05725-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-020-05725-1

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