Patterns of body weight in the Baltic Republics

Public Health Nutrition

Aileen Robertson¹  Algis Abaravicius¹  Sirje Vaask¹  Iveta Pudule¹  Roma Bartkeviciute¹  Joceline Pomerleau¹  Daiga Grinberga¹  Kamelija Kadziauskiene¹  Martin McKee¹ 

关键词: Obesity;    Diet;    Latvia;    Lithuania;    Estonia;   

DOI  :  10.1017/S1368980000000021

学科分类：卫生学

来源: Cambridge University Press

【 摘 要 】

ObjectivePreviously recorded rates of obesity in the Baltic Republics have been among the highest in the world although little is known about how they vary within the population. This study investigates the distribution of body mass index (BMI) and obesity in these countries.DesignThree cross-sectional surveys conducted in the summer of 1997.SettingEstonia, Latvia and Lithuania.SubjectsRepresentative national samples of adults with measured weight and height (Estonia: n = 1154; Latvia: n = 2292; Lithuania: n = 2096).ResultsBetween-country differences are particularly large among women: women from Latvia and Lithuania are approximately three times as likely to be obese as those from Estonia (17.4%, 18.3%, 6.0% respectively); only about one-third of this difference is explained by the sociodemographic and behavioural factors studied. In men, the prevalence of obesity varied only slightly among countries (Estonia: 9.9%; Latvia: 9.5%; Lithuania: 11.4%). While the prevalence of obesity increases with age within each republic, particularly in women, it is not associated with nationality or urban/rural region, and no consistent association is observed with income. Obesity is inversely related to education in Latvia and in Lithuanian women. Latvian men and women and Lithuanian men who smoked had a lower prevalence of obesity than non-smokers. Leisure time physical activity was not associated with obesity.ConclusionsObesity is a major health problem in the Baltic Republics, particularly among Latvian and Lithuanian women. The lack of association between obesity and most demographic, socioeconomic and behavioural factors suggests that the problem is generalized. Health promotion strategies aiming at preventing and controlling excess weight gain in the Baltic Republics will need to target the general population.

【 授权许可】

Unknown