Figure 5.

Mortality rates at ages 35–79 years for main disease categories versus BMI in the range 15–50 kg/m² (excluding the first 5 years of follow-up)

Relative risks at ages 35–79 years, adjusted for age at risk, smoking, and study, were multiplied by a common factor (ie, floated) to make the weighted average match the age-standardised European Union (15 countries) mortality rate at ages 35–79 years in 2000. Neoplastic mortality is split into the types most strongly associated with smoking (cancers of the lung and upper aerodigestive tract) and all other specified types. By contrast with figures 2–4, risk is indicated on an additive rather than multiplicative scale, with floated mortality rates shown above or below each symbol. The estimates for 35–50 kg/m² are based on limited data, so lines connecting to those estimates are dashed. Boundaries of BMI groups are indicated by tick marks. 95% CIs for floated rates reflect uncertainty in the log risk for each single rate.