The weight-adjusted-waist index predicts all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in hypertension

Background Weight-adjusted-waist (WWI) is a novel indicator of obesity that reflects the degree of central obesity in the human body. Objectives The study aimed to explore the relationship between WWI and mortality in hypertensive individuals. Methods Cross-sectional data from the 2001–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset were used in this study. The relationship between WWI and mortality was assessed using a weighted Cox proportional risk model; the nonlinear relationship was explored using restricted cubic splines. The robustness of the results was verified by subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Results A cohort of 11,556 people with a diagnosis of hypertension was included in this study. As a continuous variable, WWI was linked to higher rates of mortality from all-cause (HR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.14, 1.33) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) (HR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.23, 1.66) with hypertension in Model 3 adjusted for variables. Using WWI as a tertile categorical variable, individuals in the highest tertile had a 33% higher risk of all-cause death (HR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.14, 1.56) and a 65% higher risk of CVD death (HR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.19, 2.27) than individuals in the lowest tertile. According to the subgroup analysis, almost all groups showed a consistent positive correlation between WWI and mortality related to all-cause and CVD. Conclusion In adults with hypertension, there is a positive association between WWI and all-cause and CVD mortality.