Epidemiology of overweight and obesity in a Greek adult population: the ATTICA Study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the status of overweight and obesity in a Greek random sample. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: From 2001 to 2002, 1514 men (20 to 87 years old) and 1528 women (20 to 89 years old) were enrolled into the study. Among several sociodemographic, lifestyle, and bioclinical factors, anthropometric characteristics were also recorded. Overweight and obesity were defined according to the World Health Organization classification. RESULTS: The prevalences of overweight and obesity were 53% and 20% in men and 31% and 15% in women (p for gender differences < 0.05). The age-adjusted peak prevalence of obesity was observed in men older than 40 years old and women between 50 and 59 years old (Bonferonni alpha < 0.001). Central obesity prevailed in 36% of men and 43% of women (p for gender differences < 0.001). Obesity varied from 10% in rural to 25% in urban areas, but this difference was explained mainly by differences in occupational status (p = 0.9). Moreover, obese and overweight participants were older, less educated, more frequently sedentary, consumed higher quantities of alcoholic beverages, and were devoted to an unhealthier diet as compared with those of normal weight (all p < 0.05). A positive association was also observed between BMI and diastolic and systolic blood pressures, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose levels (all p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: Overweight and obesity seem to be a great health problem in the Greek population, especially in middle-aged and older adults. Unfavorable lifestyle habits, low education, and the classical cardiovascular risk factors were associated with the prevalence of these health conditions.     

Prevalence of overweight and obesity among adult Malaysians: an update

A total of 4428 adults (>18 years old) from 5 different selected regions in Peninsular and East Malaysia participated in this health survey. Using World Health Organization recommendations for body mass index (BMI), the prevalence of overweight and obesity were found to be 33.6% (95% CI= 32.2, 35.0) and 19.5% (95% CI= 18.3, 20.7) respectively. There were more females who were obese (22.5%, 95% CI=20.9, 24.0) compared to males (14.1%, 95% CI=12.3, 15.9). Highest prevalence of obesity were among the Indians (24.6%, 95% CI=20.3, 29.3), followed closely by the Malays (23.2%, 95% CI=21.6, 24.8%) and lowest prevalence was among the Chinese subjects (8.2%, 95% CI=6.2, 10.6). More than 43% of the 531 younger subjects (<30 years old) were either overweight (20%, 95% CI=16.6, 23.6) or obese (13.9%, 95% CI=11.1, 17.2%). All subjects who claimed to be non-diabetes were required to undergo 75 g glucose tolerance test. Compared to subjects with normal BMI (18.5-24.9 kg/m2), there was a 3- and 2-folds increase in the prevalence of newly diagnosed diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance respectively, among obese subjects (BMI>30 kg/m2) who initially claimed to have no diabetes. This study highlights a need for more active, inter-sectoral participation advocating a health-promoting environment in order to combat obesity in this country.     

母乳喂养与成人肥胖及超重关系

目的探讨早期母乳喂养与成年后肥胖和超重的关系,为有效预防成人肥胖和超重提供科学依据。方法随机抽取黑龙江省哈尔滨市35~45岁居民800人,采用问卷调查和体格检查方法搜集资料,以体质指数(BMI)作为肥胖和超重的判定标准。结果非母乳、混合母乳和母乳喂养人群肥胖发生率分别为21.21%,12.08%,11.31%,各组肥胖发生率差异无统计学意义(χ²=5.287,P=0.071);各组超重发生率分别为45.45%,37.68%,28.89%,差异有统计学意义(χ²=10.482,P=0.005);非母乳组超重率高于纯母乳喂养组(χ²=7.493,P<0.05)。非母乳喂养和母乳喂养人群(混合和纯母乳)肥胖和超重发生率差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。但肥胖和超重发生率未随纯母乳喂养时间延长而减少。在影响成人肥胖的各种因素中,母乳喂养为保护因素,可使肥胖的危险性减少到0.816倍,出生体重、母亲BMI和能量摄入为危险因素,可使肥胖的危险性分别增加1.516,1.922和1.738倍。结论母乳喂养对于成人肥胖和超重的发生具有一定预防作用,应大力提倡合理母乳喂养。     

Cheese consumption and prevalence of overweight and obesity in a Basque adult population: a cross-sectional study

Studies have reported a negative association between dairy product consumption and weight status. However, not as much research has focused on cheese; therefore, the aim of this study was to study the association between cheese intake and overweight and obesity in a representative Basque adult population. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was obtained from a random sample of 1081 adults (530 males and 551 females, 17–96 years old). Cheese consumption data were expressed as g/1000?kcal/day. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was higher in men (55.1%) than in women (35.4%) (p?相似文献   

The impact of obesity on health-related quality-of-life in the general adult US population

BACKGROUND: The US Preventive Services Task Force recently recommended screening all adult patients for obesity due in part to the strong association between obesity and numerous chronic diseases. However, how obesity affects health-related quality-of-life (HRQL), particularly for persons without any chronic diseases, is less clear. METHODS: The relationship between obesity and HRQL was examined using data from the 2000 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Respondents > or =18 years were classified as underweight, normal weight, overweight, class I obesity, and class II obesity based on their BMI. HRQL was measured by the 12-item Short Form physical and mental summary scores (PCS-12 and MCS-12, respectively) and EuroQol EQ-5D index and visual analogue scale (EQ VAS). The impact of obesity on HRQL was examined through multivariate regression, adjusting for sociodemographics and disease status. RESULTS: After adjustment, HRQL decreased with increasing level of obesity. Compared to normal weight respondents, persons with severe obesity had significantly lower scores with scores on the PCS-12, MCS-12, EQ-5D index, and EQ VAS being 4.0, 1.1, 0.073, and 4.8 points lower, respectively. Such decrements of HRQL for severe obesity were similar to the decrements seen for diabetes or hypertension. Persons with moderate obesity or who were overweight also had significantly lower HRQL scores, particularly on the PCS-12 and EQ-5D index. Underweight persons also had lower MCS-12 and EQ VAS scores. CONCLUSIONS: Persons with obesity had significantly lower HRQL than those who were normal weight and such lower scores were seen even for persons without chronic diseases known to be linked to obesity.     

Talking about overweight and obesity in rural Australian general practice

As many patients’ sole point of contact with the health care system, primary health care physicians (general practitioners [GPs] in Australia) are often positioned as key players in responding to rates of overweight and obesity in dominant public discourse. However, research from Western industrialised countries suggests that GPs may not be prepared for, or confident in, having conversations about overweight and obesity with patients. Little attention has been given to this topic in Australia, particularly in the context of rural health. The aim of this study was to understand how GPs in two rural settings in Victoria, Australia talk about overweight and obesity with patients. Working from a multidisciplinary perspective, a qualitative study design was adopted, and semi‐structured interviews were conducted with seven GPs and seven GP patients living in two rural communities between January and April, 2016. Data was coded manually and thematic analysis was used to explore the data. The findings of this study support the argument that, in contrast to dominant messages within public health discourses, GPs may not be best placed to act as the primary actors in responding to overweight and obesity as they are constructed in epidemiological terms. In fact, the perspectives of GP study participants suggest that to do so would compromise important dimensions of general medical practice that make it simultaneously a human practice. Instead, more balanced, holistic approaches to discussing and responding to overweight and obesity with patients could be taken up in local, interdisciplinary collaborations between different health professionals and patients, which utilise broader social supports. Focussing on long‐term, incremental programs that consider the whole person within their particular socio‐cultural environment would be a productive means of working with the complexities of overweight and obesity. However, structural level changes are required to ensure such initiatives are sustainable in rural practice.     

健康体检中超重与肥胖人群的分布特征分析

目的了解健康体检中超重与肥胖的人群分布特征及该人群高血压、高脂血症及糖尿病的患病情况,为慢性疾病的预防及健康管理的研究提供基础资料。方法以北京市某健康体检中心一年的体检者为研究对象,对健康体检中超重及肥胖人群的年龄、性别分布特征进行描述,并对超重组、肥胖组和正常组中高血压、高脂血症及糖尿病的患病率进行比较分析。结果共调查23 767人,其中男性14 259人,女性9508人。超重发生率为31.24%,男性超重发生率为37.82%,女性为21.36%。肥胖的发病率为10.81%,男性肥胖的比例为14.12%,女性为5.84%,男女之间超重及肥胖发生率的差异均有统计学意义（P〈0.01）;正常组、超重组和肥胖组的高血压、高脂血症及糖尿病的患病率在不同性别间的差异均存在统计学意义（P〈0.01）。结论超重和肥胖与高血压、高脂血症和糖尿病的发生有着密切的联系,应将健康管理作为预防慢性疾病发生的重要手段。     

Eating styles, overweight and obesity in young adult twins

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association of eating styles with overweight and obesity in young adults, controlling for identical genetic background in monozygotic twins. DESIGN: Prospective twin cohort study. SETTING: Finland, 1991-2002. SUBJECTS: Two-hundred and thirty-three women and 2060 men from the FinnTwin16 study, aged 16 years at baseline (T1), and ranging from 22 to 27 years at the time of the nutritional assessment (T4). METHODS: Eating styles (Restrictive/overeating, health-conscious, snacking, emotional and externally induced), self-reported at T4, were contrasted with body mass indices (BMIs) at T1 and T4. RESULTS: At T4, obesity (BMI>or=30Kg/m(2)) was significantly cross-sectionally associated with restrictive eating, frequent snacks, eating in the evening, avoiding fatty foods and failure to maintain healthy eating patterns. These associations were independent of BMI at T1. Obese women self-reported more vulnerability to external eating cues and comfort eating than normal-weight women. However, in a multivariable model, only restrictive/overeating and health-conscious eating styles were significant correlates of obesity at T4, independent of gender and BMI at T1. When we controlled for genetic background restricting the analysis to the 39 female and 45 male monozygotic twin pairs discordant for obesity or overweight (BMI>or=25Kg/m(2)), restrictive/overeating eating style was still statistically significantly associated with excess weight. CONCLUSIONS: The eating styles of obese young adults differ from their normal-weight counterparts: restrictive eating, overeating and fewer healthy food choices are associated with obesity. Different eating styles may partially explain weight differences in individuals with identical genetic background.     

超重和肥胖人群血清脂联素水平变化与高血压病的关系

目的研究血清脂联素水平与超重、肥胖及与高血压病的关系。方法对深圳地区21岁~60岁人群共21578人进行体重指数(BM I),腰围(WC),腰臀围比(WHR)及血压(HP)测量,按体重指数(BM I)将其分成三大组:正常非肥胖组(BM I≤24kg/m2)共14817人;超重组(2495 cm的人群为133‰。(χ12=821.26,P<0.005),(χ22=500.16,P<0.005)。血清脂联素浓度在肥胖人群及高血压病肥胖患者均显著低于正常人群[脂联素:单纯性肥胖组(7.16±1.41)mg/L,高血压病肥胖组(7.18±1.45)mg/L vs.正常非肥胖组(9.22±0.61)mg/L,F=3.217,P<0.05]。血清脂联素浓度在超重人群与正常人群之间无显著性差异[脂联素:超重组(7.71±1.73)mg/L vs.正常非肥胖组(9.22±0.61)mg/L,P=0.097>0.05]。在高血压病肥胖患者中,脂联素浓度与体重指数、腰围、腰臀围比、、收缩压之间呈显著负相关。结论脂联素水平下降与肥胖、血压之间存在一定的相关性;保持BM I和WC在正常范围,是预防高血压病发生的有效措施之一。     

Childhood maltreatment in adult female psychiatric outpatients with eating disorders

To explore possible relations between maltreatment in childhood and subsequent eating disorders in adult life, 107 consecutive adult psychiatric female outpatients were screened for eating disorders. They also completed questionnaires about harassment by adults and bullying by peers in childhood. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire measured childhood abuse by parents or other adults, and the Parental Bonding Instrument captured parental coldness and overprotection. Bullying by peers was measured by an inventory used in schools. Outpatients who met the criteria for bulimia nervosa reported far more bullying by peers, more coldness and overprotection from fathers, and more childhood emotional, physical and sexual abuse. The findings suggest associations between childhood maltreatment, especially bullying by peers, and bulimia nervosa.     

Changes of overweight and obesity in the adult Swiss population according to educational level,from 1992 to 2007

Background  

In many high income developed countries, obesity is inversely associated with educational level. In some countries, a widening gap of obesity between educational groups has been reported. The aim of this study was to assess trends in body mass index (BMI) and in prevalence of overweight and obesity and their association with educational level in the adult Swiss population.     

Overweight and obesity at school entry as predictor of overweight in adolescence in an Arctic child population

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyse the changes in the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and in mean body mass index (BMI) among school children, and to analyse the predictive value of overweight and obesity at school entry to overweight and obesity in adolescence in an Arctic child population. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study. A database was created on the basis of files from health examinations. Data on children aged 5-7 years and 13-17 years and the subsample of children followed from school entry to adolescence was analysed. RESULTS: During the years 1972-2002 the prevalence of overweight and obesity increased significantly, and mean BMI rose by 5.6% at school entry and by 4.7% in adolescence. Sensitivity and specificity: Of the children being obese in adolescence, 56.3% were already obese at school entry; for the overweight children, 50.6% were also overweight or obese at school entry. Of the children with normal weight in adolescence, 91.9% were also normal weight at school entry. The positive predictive value of being overweight or obese combined at school entry was 59.5%, i.e. more than every second retained their overweight or obesity in adolescence. Only 10% of the obese school entry children had gained normal weight in adolescence. The negative predictive value for normal weight children at school entry was 91.3%. CONCLUSION: The study showed that during 30 years from 1972, overweight and obesity among school children in Greenland have increased dramatically. Overweight and obesity at school entry were shown to be a good predictor of overweight or obesity in adolescence.     

Increasing seroprevalence of Clostridium difficile in an adult Danish general population

The incidence of Clostridium difficile-associated infections is increasing, but it remains to be defined whether any change in the seroprevalence of C. difficile has also occurred. In a population-based study of the general adult population, 734 subjects, aged 15-69 years, were examined on two occasions 8 years apart (1990 and 1998) for the presence of antibodies against C. difficile in serum. The overall seroprevalence of C. difficile increased significantly from 19% in 1990 to 27% in 1998 (P<0.0001). The seroprevalence increased with increasing age in both 1990 and 1998, but the increase was about four times higher in 1998 than in 1990. In conclusion, the observed increase in seroprevalence suggests a higher exposure to C. difficile in the general Danish adult population.     

2010年新疆哈萨克族、维吾尔族农村居民超重和肥胖情况调查

目的 了解2010年新疆哈萨克族和维吾尔族农村居民超重、肥胖及腹型肥胖流行现状和分布特点.方法 2009至2010年采用分层整群随机抽样的方法,抽取伊犁新源县和喀什伽师县≥18岁的哈萨克族和维吾尔族常住居民8611名进行问卷调查和体格检查,分析并比较两民族人群超重、肥胖及腹型肥胖患病率.结果 哈萨克族超重率[男、女性分别为29.5％ (612/2078)、26.4％ (789/2991)]高于维吾尔族[男、女性分别为25.5％ (440/1728)、21.9％ (397/1814)],差异有统计学意义(男性比较:x2=7.50,女性比较:x2=12.27,P值均＜0.01),同民族内比较均表现为男性高于女性(哈萨克族比较:x2=5.79,维吾尔族比较:x2=6.28,P均＜0.05);哈萨克族肥胖患病率[男、女性分别为18.2％(379/2078)、18.1％ (540/2991)]高于维吾尔族[男、女性分别为9.4％(163/1728)、13.2％(240/1814)](男性比较:x2=59.90,女性比较:x2=19.32,P值均＜0.01),同民族比较哈萨克族男女性差异无统计学意义,维吾尔族女性患病率高于男性(x2 =12.66,P＜0.01);哈萨克族腹型肥胖患病率[男、女性分别为57.0％(1185/2078)、60.2％(1801/2991)]高于维吾尔族[男、女性分别为46.9％(811/1728)、59.5％ (1080/1814)](男性比较:x2=38.54,P＜0.01;女性比较:x2=0.22,P ＞0.05),同民族比较均表现为女性高于男性(哈萨克族比较:x2=5.15,P＜0.05;维吾尔族比较:x2 =56.50,P＜0.01).结论 新疆哈萨克族和维吾尔族农村居民腹型肥胖患病率高于全国水平,哈萨克族超重、肥胖患病率高于维吾尔族.