Table 1 Overview of studies included in the systematic review ( n = 10)

Canoy and colleagues, 2004[3], UK

45 to 79

Cohort with cross-sectional analysis

Smallest circumference between the ribs and iliac crest (quintiles)

9,674

Male

FEV₁ (ml): β = −120.3 (95% CI = −134.6, –106.1). FVC (ml): β = −129.1 (95% CI = −147.9. –110.2)

Age, height, BMI

11,876

Female

FEV₁ (ml): β = −53.2 (95% CI = −62.0, –44.5). FVC (ml): β = −60.5 (95% CI = −71.7, –49.2)

Carey and colleagues, 1999[7], UK

18 to 73

Cohort

Midpoint between the ribs and iliac crest (difference in standard deviations of the measure in different follow-ups)

Male

ΔFEV₁ (ml): 18 to 45 years, β = −30.0 (SE 12.0); 46 to 73 years, β = −53.0 (SE 14.0)

Delta FEV₁ adjusted for height and age

Female

ΔFEV₁ (ml): 18 to 45 years, β = −42.0 (SE 10.0); 46 to 73 years, β = −30.0 (SE 11.0)

Chen and colleagues, 2001[8], UK

25 to 64

Cross-sectional

Midpoint between the ribs and iliac crest (centimeters)

865

Male

FEV₁ (l): β = −0.017 (SE 0.004). FVC (l): β = −0.008 (SE 0.004)

Height, age, weight, current occupation, caloric intake and smoking

971

Female

FEV₁ (l): β = −0.009 (SE 0.002). FVC (l): β = −0.007 (SE 0.003)

Chen and colleagues, 2009[9], Canada

6 to 17

Cross-sectional

Smallest circumference between the ribs and iliac crest (centimeters)

718

Both

FEV₁ (l): β = 0.002 (SE 0.001). FVC (l): β = 0.004 (SE 0.002). Relation FEV₁/FVC: β = −0.053 (SE 0.027)

Sex, age, weight and height

Chen and colleagues, 2007[5], Canada

18 to 79

Cross-sectional

Smallest circumference between the ribs and iliac crest (centimeters)

1,674

Both

FEV₁ (l): β = −0.011 (SE 0.002). FVC (l): β = −0.013 (SE 0.002). Relation FEV₁/FVC: β = −0.031 (SE 0.025)

Sex, age, height, weight and smoking

Choi and colleagues, 2011[21], South Korea

≥19

Cross-sectional

Midpoint between the ribs and iliac crest (centimeters)

1,059

Male

FVC (% predicted): β = −0.17 (SE 0.059). Relation FEV₁/FVC: β = 0.0007 (SE 0.0005)

Smoking, blood glucose, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL

1,555

Female

FVC (% predicted): β = −0.15 (SE 0.04). Relation FEV₁/FVC: β = −0.0001 (SE 0.002)

Ochs-Balcom and colleagues, 2006[11], USA

35 to 65

Cross-sectional

Smallest circumference between the ribs and iliac crest (centimeters)

985

Male

FEV₁ (% predicted): β = −0.233 (SE 0.04). FVC (% predicted): β = −0.350 (SE 0.04). Relation FEV₁/FVC: β = 0.089 (SE 0.02)

Smoking, schooling and eosinophils. FEV₁/FVC ratio adjusted for age, height and skin color too

1,168

Female

FEV₁ (% predicted): β = −0.086 (SE 0.03). FVC (% predicted): β = −0.176 (SE 0.03). Relation FEV₁/FVC: β = 0.086 (SE 0.02)

Paek and colleagues, 2010[22], South Korea

≥19

Cross-sectional

Smallest circumference between the ribs and iliac crest (centimeters)

4,001

Both

FEV₁ (% predicted): β = −0.21. FVC (% predicted): β = −0.13. Relation FEV₁/FVC: β = −0.029

Relation WC/height, age, sex, smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption and socioeconomic status

Steele and colleagues, 2009[20], UK

40.6 (mean)

Cohort with cross-sectional analysis

Midpoint between the ribs and iliac crest (centimeters)

238

Male

FEV₁ (l): β = −0.02 (95% CI = −0.02, –0.01). FVC (l): β = −0.025 (95% CI = −0.032, –0.018)

Age, height and smoking

364

Female

FEV₁ (l): β = −0.004 (95% CI = −0.008, –0.001). FVC (l): β = −0.004 (95% CI = −0.009, 0.001)

Ubilla and colleagues, 2008[19], Chile

21 to 28

Cohort with cross-sectional analysis

Navel line (terciles, middle as reference)

550

Male

FEV₁ (ml): lower tercile, β = 93.1 (95% CI = 14.4, 200.6); upper tercile, β = −76.9 (95% CI = −183.2, 29.5). FVC (ml): lower tercile, β = 80.7 (95% CI = 43.0, 204.4); upper tercile, β = −98.8 (95% CI = −221.2, 23.6)

Age, height, smoking, number of siblings, schooling and gestational age. Nutritional variables throughout life, except BMI

671

Female

FEV₁ (ml): lower tercile, β = −62.1 (95% CI = −132.1, 7.9); upper tercile, β = −22.1 (95% CI = −93.7, 49.5). FVC (ml): lower tercile, β = −96.2 (95% CI = −177.1, –15.2); upper tercile, β = −42.5 (95% CI = −125.3, 40.3)