Overweight, Obesity, and Its Associated Factors in Adult Women Referring to Health Centers in Shiraz in 2013-2014

Background: Obesity is one of the major health problems in the world; in thisregard Iran is not an exception. The present study was conducted to investigatethe overweight, obesity, and its related factors in adult women who referred tohealth centers in Shiraz, Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 240 womenwho referred to health centers and aged 18-65 years old were selected throughmulti-stage random sampling, in 2013-2014. Height, weight, as well as waist andhip circumferences were measured, participants body mass index (BMI) andwaist to hip ratio (WHR) were also calculated. The questionnaire of demographicfactors, physical activity, and food frequency were completed. Results: Theprevalence of overweight and obesity based on BMI was 29.2% and 13.8%,respectively. The mean of WHR was 0.89 ± 0.06 and based on this index, 79.2%of the participants had visceral obesity. There was a direct correlation betweenBMI and age, number of children, labor, energy, and fat intake. However, thecorrelation between BMI and physical activity, age of marriage, and proteinintake was inverse (P < 0.05). No meaningful correlation was found betweenBMI and marital status, occupation, education level, income level, metropolitanarea, smoking, and history of parental obesity. Based on logistic regressionmodeling, menopause, high energy intake, and low physical activity wereassociated factors of overweight and obesity (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Generally,despite extensive programs of public education, there is an alarming prevalencerate of both generalized as well as central overweight and obesity in the presentstudy.

Keywords:

Overweight , Obesity , Women , Shiraz