Obesity is an undesirable outcome of changing of lifestyle and behaviours. It is also reversible predisposing factor for the development of several debilitating diseases. This study was aimed to determine the prevalence rate of obesity, overweight, central obesity and their associated factors in the north of Iran. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study with a sample of 1800 women and 1800 men with respective mean ages of 37.5 +/- 13.0 and 38.5 +/- 14.2 years of urban population aged 20-70 years living in the north of Iran. The demographic and lifestyle data, in particular, age, gender, marital status, marriage age, family history of obesity, educational level, occupation, occupational and leisure time physical activity, duration of exercise per week, parity and the number of children were collected with a designed questionnaire. Diagnosis of obesity and central obesity were confirmed by the WHO standard recommended method by determining of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Logistic regression model was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval. Over half of the study subjects were at educational levels of high school or higher; 79.4% of population was married and 35.3% had a family history of parental obesity. The majority of subjects in particular women had none or low levels of physical activity. The overall prevalence rates of obesity and overweight were 18.8% and 34.8% respectively. The overall prevalence rate of central obesity was 28.3%. The rate of obesity in women was higher than men (P < 0.0001). In both genders, particularly in the women, the rate of obesity was raised by increasing age. There was an inverse relation between the risk of obesity and marriage age, the high level of education (OR = 0.19, P < 0.0001), severe occupational activity (OR = 0.44, P < 0.0001), the level of exercise (in subjects with 3-4 h exercise per week, OR = 0.58, P < 0.001) and leisure time activity. Marriage, history of parental obesity and parity > or =5 were associated with increased risk of obesity (OR = 2.2, P < 0.001 and OR = 2.43, P < 0.0001 and OR = 3.73, P < 0.0001 respectively). The results of this study indicate an increased rate of obesity and overweigh in the north population of Iran. With respect to these findings, low level of activity and education, parity, family history of obesity, marriage at earlier age and ageing are responsible for both obesity and central obesity in the north of Iran. Therefore, a community-based multiple strategies are required to combat with increasing rate of obesity and its subsequent complications such as diabetes, coronary artery disease, hypertension and osteoarthritis.

Background Insufficient levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) influence the knee joint cartilage and lead to development and progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of this study was to determine the status of serum 25-OHD levels in patients with knee OA compared with controls. Methods A total of 148 patients with knee OA and 150 controls were studied. Serum 25-OHD was measured by the ELISA method and concentrations<20 ng/ml were considered as deficient levels. Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparisons of means and logistic regression analysis with calculation of odds ratio (OR) was applied to determine association. Results The mean ages of patients and controls were 60.2± 12.9 and 60.1±10.2 years, respectively (P=0.23). In the entire population the mean serum 25-OHD in OA patients was not significantly lower than controls (P=0.28), but in subgroup analysis the mean 25-OHD in OA patients aged <60 years was significantly lower than controls (23.8±18.8 vs. 34.5.±29.6 ng/ml, P=0.01). In this age group knee OA was significantly associated with serum 25-OHD deficiency which remained significant after adjusting for age and sex (adjusted OR=2.26, 95% CI 1.15-4.4, P=0.018). A greater association was observed in patients aged<55 years (OR=2.63, 95% CI 1.16-5.95, P= 0.01); whereas the association between OA and serum 25-OHD deficiency in patients aged ≥60 years did not reach a significant level. Conclusion These findings indicate a significant association between serum 25-OHD deficiency and knee OA in patients aged < 60 years and suggest serum 25-OHD measurement in any patient with symptoms suggestive of knee OA particularly at the initial stage of disease.

The results of this study indicate a positive association of vitamin D deficiency with a variety of nonspecific bone pain, particularly in women. More studies with larger samples are required to confirm these findings. Increasing serum vitamin D to sufficient levels and longitudinal follow-up of patients may provide further evidence in relation to vitamin D deficiency and skeletal pain.

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The results of this study indicated a significant association between OP and MD, obesity, parity, MS, history of fracture, serum ferritin, level of education, and physical activity. However, the direction and the strength of association varied across BMD measurement sites.