Association of socioeconomic factors with body mass index, obesity, physical activity, and dietary factors in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil: The BH Health Study

Abstract

Obesity prevalence is rapidly increasing in developing countries. Existing research investigating social patterning of obesity and its risk factors in Latin American urban contexts has inconsistent findings. This study analyzed a multistage household survey in adults in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Marginal models were used to examine the association of education and household and neighborhood income with body mass index (BMI), obesity, physical inactivity, and low fruit and vegetable intake after adjusting for age and ethnicity and stratifying by sex. BMI and obesity were inversely associated with education in women. BMI was positively associated with household and neighborhood income in men. Additionally, physical inactivity and low fruit and vegetable intake were inversely associated with education and household income in both men and women, and physical inactivity was inversely associated with neighborhood income in men. Understanding the drivers of these patterns will allow for development of appropriate policy and interventions to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in large cities in Latin America.

Fatores relacionados à inatividade física no lazer em mulheres obesas

“…(21) Physical inactivity in leisure-time is also associated with family income, because, women with lower incomes tend to have less knowledge about healthy habits, time to spend on healthy levels of physical activity, and opportunities for recreational activities, which is one of the main barriers to participation in physical activity in developing countries. (22) The prevalence of PI was higher in women with home care dependents (children and/or sick people), relating to the historical roles played by women as wives, mothers and caregivers, corroborating the findings of another study in which the presence of a great number of children at home made it difficult to participate in physical activity during leisure-time, when they had no one to take care of their children. (21) Other research showed that family obligations and family income were associated with PI during leisure-time within the population (45.4%) and, for women, these obligations were statistically significant.…”

Gender Difference on the Association between Dietary Patterns and Obesity in Chinese Middle-Aged and Elderly Populations

“…A total of 408 kinds of food items were collected in the survey. The 408 varieties of food items were divided into 25 food groups, based on a combination of nutritional characteristics of each food mentioned in the Chinese Food Composition 2002 [24] and recommendations about food classification in related studies [11,25]. The 25 food groups were rice; wheat; deep-fried wheat; instant noodles; coarse grains; starchy roots and tubers; vegetables; fruits; pork; poultry; other livestock meats; organ meats; processed meats; fresh water fish and seafood; dairy; legumes; eggs; seeds and nuts; fungi and algae; western fast food; cakes and pastries; candy and chocolates; soft drinks; alcoholic beverages; and tea.…”

Prevalência do excesso de peso e fatores associados em mulheres em idade reprodutiva no Nordeste do Brasil

“…Já em Pernambuco, estudo representativo para o estado encontrou associação positiva e direta entre excesso de peso e renda 13 . Esses resultados demonstram que a relação entre estado nutricional e contexto socioeconômico é algo complexo e que precisa ser mais bem explicado 14,15 . Esta pesquisa, realizada em um município do interior de Pernambuco, teve como objetivo determinar a prevalência de excesso de peso e seus fatores associados em mulheres em idade reprodutiva no município de Vitória de Santo Antão.…”