Sex-stratified socio-economic gradients in physical inactivity, obesity, and diabetes: evidence of short-term changes in Argentina

Objectives

To evaluate how socio-economic gradients in NCDs and NCD-related risk factors change over time.

Methods

Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the 2005 and 2009 Argentine National Risk Factor Surveys (N = 41,392 and N = 34,732) was conducted. We analyzed inequalities in three risk factors (low physical activity, obesity, and diabetes) according to income and educational attainment. The analysis was based on sex-stratified and age-adjusted logistic regression.

Results

The overall prevalence of low physical activity, obesity, and diabetes increased from 2005 to 2009. Increases occurred in most of the income and education groups, but females with the lowest socio-economic status generally showed the highest increases. In 2005, differences in physical inactivity among women with different levels of education were not statistically significant. By 2009, women with low education (OR = 1.57, 95 % CI = 1.34–1.84) and medium education (OR = 1.18, 95 % CI = 1.06–1.32) were more likely than women with high education to be physically inactive.

Conclusion

Inequalities in physical inactivity, obesity, and diabetes have grown in Argentina over a short period of time.