Pre-Morbid Body Mass Index and Mortality After Incident Heart Failure The ARIC Study

BackgroundAlthough obesity is an independent risk factor for heart failure (HF), once HF is established, obesity is associated with lower mortality. It is unclear if the weight loss due to advanced HF leads to this paradoxical finding.ObjectivesThis study sought to evaluate the prognostic impact of pre-morbid obesity in patients with HF.MethodsIn the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities) study, we used body mass index (BMI) measured ≥6 months before incident HF (pre-morbid BMI) to evaluate the association of overweight (BMI 25 to