Extremely high prevalence of overweight and obesity in Murcia, a Mediterranean region in south-east Spain

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:To estimate the prevalence of obesity in the Murcia Region according to age and sex, and to analyse how obesity is related to demographic and socio-economic determinants and to other cardiovascular risk factors of interest to the community. DESIGN: Survey on a representative population sample using multi-stage random sampling with definition of the sample quotas. SUBJECTS: A total of 3091 persons aged 18 -65 y residing in the Murcia Region. MEASURMENTS:The following data were collected: socio-economic data; tobacco smoking; recent physical activity; blood pressure; weight; height; and blood analysis to determine plasma lipids. Obesity was defined by body mass index (BMI) ! 30. Intense or vigorous physical activity (VPA ! 6 equivalents to baseline metabolic rate or METs) was measured in kilocalories per day and reduced to hours per week. RESULTS: In all, 20.5% of the adult population of the Murcia Region is obese, and 40.9% is overweight. In the logistic regression analysis, obesity in men is associated with age and level of education. In women it is associated with age, level of education, living in a non-urban area and being a housewife. When adjusted for socio-economic variables and for other cardiovascular risk factors the effect of age and level of education disappears in men and it is directly associated with hypertension and hypertriglyceridaemia and inversely related to more than 2 h VPA per week. Obesity in women is associated positively with age, hypertension, hypertriglyceridaemia and little VPA, and inversely with level of education. CONCLUSIONS: In the Murcia Region 61.4% of the adult population presents with some form of excess weight. The prevalence of obesity (BMI ! 30) is greater in women (23.7%; CI 95% 19.7 -27.7) than in men (17.3%; CI 95% 15.3 -19.3). The widespread nature of this factor makes it a mass problem that requires generalised interventions to prevent it.

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

“…Moreover, in multivariate analysis men with high consumption of fresh cheese and women with high intakes of fresh and processed cheese and between 17 and 35 years old seemed to be protected against excess weight (Ov and/or Ob) compared with those who are !56 years. These results could be partially explained by decreasing basal metabolic rates and reducing degrees of physical activity with age (Martínez-Ros et al, 2001;Norman et al, 2002); nevertheless, the lack of physical activity data did not allow a confirmation of this explanation in the current study.…”

Relation between body weight and health-related quality of life among the elderly in Spain

“…While the percentage of overweight and obese subjects in our study was extremely high, it nevertheless proved practically identical to that reported by a recent nationally representative study in Spain 36 and comparable to that obtained in some regional studies. 37,38 It is however remarkable that the proportion of obese women is greater than that of overweight women, although this has also been observed in other populations around the world that have a very high prevalence of obesity. 39 In addition, the values of the scales of the SF-36 questionnaire are not only comparable to national reference values for subjects of the same age and sex in Spain but, in particular, are also consistent in showing that scores tend to be higher for men than for women.…”

Overweight and Obesity: A Brief Challenge on Prevalence, Complications and Physical Activity among Men and Women

“…39,40 For example, the women who did more than 2hours vigorous physical activity per week show an inverse relation with increased weight and obesity. 10 It seems there are not acceptable evidences on requirement physical activity for prevent of weight gain. It is not known.…”

“…Body mass index calculation as a test for reorganization of overweight and obesity, although, is not a perfect measure, but it is the industry standard, as its formula makes it certainly accurate enough to determine presence of increased health hazard. 9,10 It, indeed, has replaced percentage ideal body weight as a criterion for assessing obesity for several reasons. 7 It is not proper index in individuals with a great muscle mass (such as bodybuilders) and falsely low in those that have lost muscle mass, such as the elderly.…”

“…[16][17][18] It has indeed been known that obesity is a marked determinant of high levels total cholesterol and triglycerides, and low levels of HDL cholesterol. 10 BMI, WC and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) have also been reported that as strong risk factors for colon cancer. 19 WHR is a useful method for assessment of central obesity.…”