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October 1998, Volume 22, Number 10, Pages 988-992
Table of contents    Previous  Abstract  Next   Article  PDF
Paper
Trends in the prevalence of obesity among Belgian men at work, 1977-1992
M C Stam-Moraga1,a, J Kolanowski3, M Dramaix2, S De Henauw4, D De Bacquer4, G De Backer4 and M D Kornitzer4

1Laboratories of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, School of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium

2Medical Statistics, School of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium

3School of Medicine, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium

4Department of Public Health, University of Gent, Belgium

aCorrespondence: Margaretha C Stam-Moraga, 18 Quai du Chevel-Blanc, CH-1227 Carouge/GE, Switzerland.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess trends in average body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of obesity between 1977 and 1992, in middle-aged Belgian men at work.

SUBJECTS: A subsample of men at work, aged 40-54 y extracted from the base-line data from four independent prospective studies, each representing a period (Physical Fitness Study (1977-1978), Belgian Interuniversity Research on Nutrition and Health (BIRNH) (1979-1984), Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Diseases (MONICA) (1986-1991) and ORCA (1992-1993)).

DESIGN: Linear regression of the average body mass index (kg/m2) and logistic regression of the prevalence of obesity (BMI30 kg/m2). Independent variables taken into account in multivariate analysis were: age, educational level, marital status and region.

RESULTS: In this subsample of Belgian men at work, aged 40-54 y, prevalence of obesity increased from 9.2% in 1977-1978 to 14.5% in 1992-1993. This rise was present in each five-year age group, in both regions and in all educational groups, but strongest in the lowest educated. After adjustment for sociodemographic covariables, it was estimated that with regard to 1977-1978, the proportion of men with a BMI30 kg/m2 doubled over the 15-year period (odds ratio OR (95% confidence intervals, 95% CI)): 1.98 (1.40; 2.80).

CONCLUSION: Keeping in mind that the trends have been calculated from data from four different studies, presenting some shortcomings, prevalence of obesity has increased between 1977-1992 in men aged 40-54 y at work. This rise is particularly pronounced in the lower educated groups.

Keywords

trends; obesity; body mass index

Received 20 January 1998; revised 29 April 1998; accepted 22 May 1998
October 1998, Volume 22, Number 10, Pages 988-992
Table of contents    Previous  Abstract  Next   Article  PDF
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