Sociodemographic factors associated with long term weight gain, current body fatness and central adiposity in Swedish women

OBJECTIVES: To examine sociodemographic factors associated with long-term a dult weight gain and current general and central adiposity in women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis based on data from the Malmo Diet and Canc er prospective cohort Study (MDCS), Sweden. SUBJECTS: 5464 women aged 45 -73 y, who participated in the MDCS between 19 94 and 1996. MEASUREMENTS: Weight change was defined as the difference between measured weight and recalled weight at age 20. Body composition was estimated from b ioelectrical impedance analysis. Waist circumference and waist-hip ratio (W HR) were indicators of central obesity. Sociodemographic factors studied in cluded reproductive, lifestyle and socioeconomic characteristics obtained f rom a questionnaire. RESULTS: At current age 13% of all women were obese (BMI greater than or eq ual to 30), and nearly one-third had a body fat content of >33%. Since age 20, the majority of women (77%) had gained more than 10% of their initial w eight. On average, the mean weight change was 12.6+/-10.0 kg during adult l ife. Age-adjusted group mean comparisons identified a number of significant sociodemographic variables predicting past weight gain and current obesity . In multivariate analysis, significant independent correlates of weight ga in were: age, initial small body size, high parity, early menarche, nonuse of hormone therapy, low self-rated health, non-smoking, no consumption of a lcohol, sedentary leisure activity, past change in diet, retirement, low ed ucation, low socioeconomic status, and low socioeconomic status of origin. Many of the same variables were independently associated with current waist circumference, WHR, and percentage body fat. CONCLUSIONS: Large weight gain during adult life and a high rate of overwei ght were observed in this group of Swedish women. Many sociodemographic cha racteristics were associated with long-term weight gain and recent obesity indices. Initial BMI, smoking, age, physical activity and early socioeconom ic status accounted for most of the explained variance in weight change. Th e findings indicate the importance of identifying environmental determinant s of both weight gain and attained fatness, as well as fat distribution.