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Women of higher socio-economic status are more likely to be overweight in Karnataka, India

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages 1217–1220 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

This study explores differences in body mass index (BMI), diet, and lifestyle between women of varying socio-economic status in Karnataka, India, using data from the National Family Health Survey 2 (n=4374), in-depth interviews (n=20) and six focus group discussions (n=40) completed in Bangalore. Predictors of overweight (BMI ≥25kg/m2) were modelled using logistic regression. A content analysis of the qualitative data was undertaken to understand behavioural factors affecting overweight. Prevalence of undernutrition was high for rural women (48%) and for overweight, prevalence was high in large urban areas (44%). In Bangalore knowledge of unhealthy foods was higher for richer women, although their diet and activity levels were less healthy than poorer women, who did not have the resources to purchase less healthy diets. Although some knowledge of the need for activity and healthy diets exists for wealthier Bangalore women, this does not translate into healthy behaviour, suggesting a need for obesity prevention programmes.

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Acknowledgements

We thank our two local research assistants, Miss S. Navada and Miss N. Chitrakala. Additionally, we thank the Belaku Trust who helped to facilitate access to the study communities. We are grateful to Tom Swasey for his graphics assistance in redesigning the body silhouettes to be culturally appropriate for the Indian setting. We also thank Chenoa Flippen, who provided insightful discussants comments on an earlier draft of this paper presented at the 2002 Population Association of America meetings. Finally, we thank all the respondents who gave their time to be a part of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK

    P Griffiths

  2. Department of Nutrition and Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    M Bentley

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  1. P Griffiths
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  2. M Bentley
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Correspondence to P Griffiths.

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Guarantor: P Griffiths.

Contributors: PG worked jointly on the conceptualization of the hypotheses to be examined in the paper, collected the qualitative data, contributed to the qualitative data analysis, undertook the statistical analysis of the NFHS data, and contributed to the writing of the manuscript. MB worked jointly on the conceptualization of the hypotheses to be examined in the paper, advised on the fieldwork, contributed to the qualitative data analysis, and contributed to the writing of the manuscript.

Sponsorship: Andrew. W. Mellon Foundation.

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Griffiths, P., Bentley, M. Women of higher socio-economic status are more likely to be overweight in Karnataka, India. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 1217–1220 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602228

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