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Ethnic differences in obesity among immigrants from developing countries, in Oslo, Norway

International Journal of Obesity volume 30, pages 684–690 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Objectives:

To compare ethnic and gender differences in generalized and central obesity and to investigate whether these differences persisted after adjusting for socio-demographic and lifestyle factors.

Design:

In 2002, the population-based cross-sectional, Oslo Immigrant Health study was conducted.

Subjects:

A total of 7890 Oslo residents, born between 1942 and 1971 in Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, were invited and 3019 attended.

Measurements:

Participants completed a health questionnaire and attended a clinical screening that included height, weight, waist and hip measurements.

Results:

Generalized obesity (BMI⩾30 kg/m2) was greatest among women from Turkey (51.0%) and least among men from Vietnam (2.7%). The highest proportions of central obesity (waist hip ratio (WHR)⩾0.85) were observed among women from Sri Lanka (54.3%) and Pakistan (52.4%). For any given value of BMI, Sri Lankans and Pakistanis had higher WHR compared to the other groups. Despite a high mean BMI, Turkish men (27.9 kg/m2) and women (30.7 kg/m2) did not have a corresponding high WHR. Ethnic differences in BMI, waist circumference and WHR persisted despite adjusting for socio-demographic and lifestyle factors.

Conclusion:

We found large differences in generalized and central obesity between immigrant groups from developing countries. Our data find high proportions of overweight and obese subjects from Pakistan and Turkey, but low proportions among those from Vietnam. Subjects from Sri Lanka and Pakistan had the highest WHR for any given value of BMI. Our findings, in light of the burgeoning obesity epidemic, warrant close monitoring of these groups.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Kathleen Glenday and Zumin Shi for assistance, Anne Johanne Søgaard and Aage Tverdal for valuable comments. The data collection was conducted as part of the Oslo Immigrant Health Study 2002 in collaboration with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. BNK, HM, GHO and MW contributed to the conception and design of the study. BNK, HM and ID analysed the data and all authors contributed to the interpretation of the data. BNK drafted the article and HW, MW, GHO and ID commented upon and revised the drafts. All authors gave their approval to the final version submitted for publication. The Oslo Immigrant Health Study was funded by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and University of Oslo. BNK's doctoral grant was funded through the Norwegian Research Council, and the Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Affairs, Nutrition Division financially supported this piece of work. Competing interests: None declared.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Medicine and General Practice, Section of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    B N Kumar, H E Meyer & G Holmboe-Ottesen

  2. Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway

    H E Meyer

  3. Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    M Wandel

  4. Department of Statistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    I Dalen

Authors
  1. B N Kumar
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  2. H E Meyer
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  3. M Wandel
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  4. I Dalen
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  5. G Holmboe-Ottesen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to B N Kumar.

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Kumar, B., Meyer, H., Wandel, M. et al. Ethnic differences in obesity among immigrants from developing countries, in Oslo, Norway. Int J Obes 30, 684–690 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803051

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803051

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