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Two Body Measurements Linked to Nearly Double The Risk of Death – Neither One Is BMI : ScienceAlert (opens in a new tab)

sciencealert.com · 2026-09-17

Short answerEvidenceSource

Short answer

Mixed

Mixed.

The claims we could check match the study, but some claims were not covered by the evidence reviewed.

  • 3 supported
  • 3 not covered

Checked against the study summary. The full text wasn't available, so some details couldn't be settled either way.

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Follow the evidence trail
1
2

NewsLink checks it

Mixed

Every claim we could check holds up. Three of six claims match the study. This overall rating is based only on the claims we could check. Three claims the study doesn't address.

  • 3 supported
  • 3 not covered
Open claim evidence
3
Then inspect each claim

Evidence layer

Claim by claim

Each claim gets a verdict. Expand it to see the evidence directly below.

6 claims in this story

Showing all 6 claimsChoose a verdict to focus the list.

Claim 1 of 6Not coveredResearchers in China found that measuring both body size and strength was linked to nearly double the risk of death in a study of 5,674 adults in the United States followed for nearly 7 years, with 373 deaths recorded.View evidenceHide evidence

As statednearly double the risk of death; 5,674 adults; nearly 7 years; 373 deaths

Why this verdict

The cohort size, US adult sample, median follow-up of 6.75 years, 373 deaths, and nearly doubled mortality association are supported by the abstract profile. However, the attribution to 'Researchers in China' is not present in the supplied abstract-depth profile, so that part cannot be verified at this evidence depth.

1

Study evidence

Dynapenic Obesity (defined by SAD + low relative grip strength) was associated with higher all-cause mortality compared with the reference phenotype.HR 1.97 (95% CI 1.41–2.75)

“This prospective cohort included 5674 US adults followed for a median of 6.75 years.”
Claim 2 of 6Not coveredThe combined measure was said to be independent of age, socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities, and the authors argued abdominal diameter may better reflect visceral adiposity while relative grip strength may better identify weakness in people with greater body mass.View evidenceHide evidence

As statedindependent of age, socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities

Why this verdict

The profile supports that the primary models used age as the time scale and that SAD plus relative grip strength was associated with mortality. But the abstract-depth profile explicitly notes that the full covariate adjustment set is not reported, so independence from socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities cannot be verified here. The interpretive statements about SAD better reflecting visceral adiposity and relative grip strength identifying weakness in heavier people are plausible in context but not fully documented in the supplied abstract-level profile.

1

Study evidence

Dynapenic Obesity (defined by SAD + low relative grip strength) was associated with higher all-cause mortality compared with the reference phenotype.HR 1.97 (95% CI 1.41–2.75)

“This prospective cohort included 5674 US adults followed for a median of 6.75 years.”
Claim 3 of 6Not coveredThe article says more evidence is needed before these measures become routine in doctors' offices, and notes that BMI should be interpreted alongside waist circumference, strength, physical function, and overall health.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The paper profile supports caution in the broad sense that the evidence is observational and abstract-level limitations remain, but it does not report a paper claim about adoption in doctors' offices or a recommendation that BMI be interpreted alongside waist circumference, strength, physical function, and overall health. Those clinical-translation statements are therefore not verifiable from the supplied abstract-depth profile.

1

Study evidence

Dynapenic Obesity (defined by SAD + low relative grip strength) was associated with higher all-cause mortality compared with the reference phenotype.HR 1.97 (95% CI 1.41–2.75)

“This prospective cohort included 5674 US adults followed for a median of 6.75 years.”
Claim 4 of 6SupportedScientists identified two simple body measurements that together were linked to nearly double the risk of death, and neither one was BMI.View evidenceHide evidence

As statednearly double the risk of death

Why this verdict

The abstract-level profile supports the core headline claim: dynapenic obesity defined by sagittal abdominal diameter plus low relative grip strength was associated with nearly double all-cause mortality risk, HR 1.97 (95% CI 1.41–2.75), and the defining measures were not BMI. Although the headline is unhedged, it uses associational language ('linked'), consistent with the observational cohort evidence.

1

Study evidence

Dynapenic Obesity (defined by SAD + low relative grip strength) was associated with higher all-cause mortality compared with the reference phenotype.HR 1.97 (95% CI 1.41–2.75)

“This prospective cohort included 5674 US adults followed for a median of 6.75 years.”
Claim 5 of 6SupportedParticipants with both excess abdominal fat and relatively weak grip strength had a 97 percent increased risk of mortality compared to those without excess abdominal weight or low relative grip strength.View evidenceHide evidence

As stated97 percent increased risk of mortality

Why this verdict

The stated 97% increased mortality risk corresponds to the reported HR 1.97 for Dynapenic Obesity versus the reference phenotype. The story frames this as an association in participants with excess abdominal fat plus low relative grip strength, matching the abstract-level finding.

1

Study evidence

Dynapenic Obesity (defined by SAD + low relative grip strength) was associated with higher all-cause mortality compared with the reference phenotype.HR 1.97 (95% CI 1.41–2.75)

“This prospective cohort included 5674 US adults followed for a median of 6.75 years.”
Claim 6 of 6SupportedExcess abdominal fat, measured indirectly by abdominal diameter, was not significantly associated with mortality on its own, but low relative grip strength was.View evidenceHide evidence

As statednot significantly associated; nearly 60 percent elevated mortality risk

Why this verdict

The profile states that Abdominal Obesity alone, defined using sagittal abdominal diameter, was not significantly associated with mortality, while Dynapenia alone was associated with elevated mortality risk, HR 1.60 (95% CI 1.11–2.30), which is approximately a 60% elevation.

1

Study evidence

Dynapenic Obesity (defined by SAD + low relative grip strength) was associated with higher all-cause mortality compared with the reference phenotype.HR 1.97 (95% CI 1.41–2.75)

“This prospective cohort included 5674 US adults followed for a median of 6.75 years.”
Then look for missing context

Context layer

What the story carried across

Nothing material from the study was dropped.

5 things the story did carry across
  • Primary association: dynapenic obesity defined by sagittal abdominal diameter plus low relative grip strength was associated with higher all-cause mortality, HR 1.97 (95% CI 1.41–2.75), in a prospective cohort.
  • Study design and population: prospective observational cohort of 5,674 US adults, median 6.75 years follow-up, with 373 deaths; survey-weighted Cox models used age as the time scale.
  • Abdominal obesity/SAD alone was not significantly associated with mortality, while dynapenia/low relative grip strength alone was associated with elevated mortality, HR 1.60 (95% CI 1.11–2.30).
  • Observational cohort design limits causal interpretation and leaves residual confounding possible.
  • Paper motivation: BMI, waist circumference, or absolute grip strength can misclassify risk; the paper tests SAD plus relative grip strength as an alternative phenotype definition.
Then read the study layer

Study layer

Study at a glance

Scan the study first. Expand only the parts you want to inspect.

Pieces of work

3

Evidence read

study summary

Lead result

secondary data

1Lead resultsecondary dataDefine dynapenic obesity using sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) plus relative grip strength and test its association with all-cause mortality in a prospective US adult cohort.secondary dataExpand

In plain English

In a prospective cohort of 5,674 US adults followed for a median 6.75 years, participants were classified by sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) and relative grip strength into Normal, Abdominal Obesity, Dynapenia, or Dynapenic Obesity phenotypes. Survey-weighted Cox models (age as time scale) estimated associations with all-cause mortality. Dynapenic Obesity was associated with the highest mortality risk (HR 1.97; 95% CI 1.41–2.75) and Dynapenia also showed elevated risk (HR 1.60; 95% CI 1.11–2.30), while Abdominal Obesity alone was not significantly associated. Exploratory mediation attributed 5.8% (P = 0.041) of the dynapenic-obesity–mortality association to the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and 13.7% (P = 0.006) to HbA1c; joint phenotype×biomarker analyses showed higher risks for dynapenic-obesity with elevated biomarkers (HR 3.11 for high SII; HR 2.53 for high HbA1c). Findings were reported as robust across sensitivity analyses.

Key findings

  • Dynapenic Obesity (defined by SAD + low relative grip strength) was associated with higher all-cause mortality compared with the reference phenotype.HR 1.97 (95% CI 1.41–2.75)
  • Dynapenia alone was associated with elevated mortality risk.HR 1.60 (95% CI 1.11–2.30)
“This prospective cohort included 5674 US adults followed for a median of 6.75 years.”
What this piece can’t prove
  • Abstract does not report full covariate adjustment set, measurement details for SAD or relative grip strength, or other methodological limitations.

1 further detail could not be confirmed from the summary.

2secondary dataExplore potential explanatory pathways for the dynapenic obesity–mortality association via statistical mediation by systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and glycemic status (HbA1c).exploratory mediation analysis (secondary analysis)Expand

In plain English

In an exploratory mediation analysis within a prospective cohort (n=5674; median follow-up 6.75 y; 373 deaths), the authors estimated the proportions of the observed association between dynapenic obesity (defined by SAD + relative grip strength) and all-cause mortality statistically explained by systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and HbA1c. SII accounted for 5.8% (P = 0.041) and HbA1c for 13.7% (P = 0.006) of the association. Joint cross-classification showed higher mortality hazards for participants with dynapenic obesity and elevated biomarkers (HR 3.11 for high SII; HR 2.53 for high HbA1c). The abstract characterizes these mediation analyses as exploratory and does not report mediation modeling details or confounder-handling assumptions.

Key findings

  • SII statistically explained 5.8% of the observed dynapenic obesity–mortality association.5.8% mediated
  • HbA1c statistically explained 13.7% of the observed dynapenic obesity–mortality association.13.7% mediated
“Exploratory mediation analyses estimated the proportions of the observed association statistically explained by systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and HbA1c.”
What this piece can’t prove
  • Mediation analyses are labeled exploratory and the abstract does not describe the statistical mediation approach, assumptions, or confounder adjustment for mediator–outcome relations.
  • Proportions explained are modest, leaving most of the association unexplained by the two biomarkers.
  • Observational design limits causal interpretation of mediation estimates; residual confounding is possible.
  • Unclear whether survey weighting or complex-sample design was incorporated into mediation inference.

1 further detail could not be confirmed from the summary.

3secondary dataCharacterize effect modification/stratified risk by jointly cross-classifying dynapenic-obesity phenotypes with biomarker levels (SII, HbA1c) in relation to mortality.joint/stratified survival analysisExpand

In plain English

The paper reports joint (cross-classified) analyses of dynapenic-obesity phenotypes with biomarker strata (high vs low SII and high vs low HbA1c) estimating hazard ratios for all-cause mortality; participants with Dynapenic Obesity plus elevated biomarkers had higher mortality risks (HR 3.11 for high SII; HR 2.53 for high HbA1c).

Key findings

  • Dynapenic Obesity combined with high systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) was associated with higher all-cause mortality risk.HR 3.11
  • Dynapenic Obesity combined with high HbA1c was associated with higher all-cause mortality risk.HR 2.53
“Joint analyses cross-classified phenotypes by biomarker levels.”
What this piece can’t prove

4 further details could not be confirmed from the summary.

Finally, the search trail

Method layer

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Papers considered

The selected paper, plus nearby candidates.

PubMed, Europe PMC, Crossref · 15 candidate papers

Candidate

Figure 2: Comparisons of the absolute grip strength and relative grip strength between the control rats and the rats treated with exercise training and resveratrol feeding.

Crossref

Source (opens in a new tab)
Candidate

Relative Grip Strength and Arterial Stiffness Relative Grip Strength and Incident Arterial Stiffness in Chinese Middle-Aged and Older Population: A Longitudinal Study

Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research · 2023 · Crossref

Source (opens in a new tab)
Candidate

Mean Combined Relative Grip Strength and Metabolic Syndrome

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · 2018 · Crossref

Source (opens in a new tab)

And 9 more candidates considered.