General and abdominal obesity is related to socioeconomic status and food choices: a cross-sectional study
ISSN: 0034-6659
Article publication date: 18 July 2019
Issue publication date: 22 January 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to evaluate the prevalence of general obesity (GO) and abdominal obesity (AO) in the north-west of Iran and investigate the association with food choices and socioeconomic status (SES).
Design/methodology/approach
In this cross-sectional study, 500 subjects aged ≥ 18 years were studied. Data on their basic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, dietary habits and physical activity were collected. The authors examined the association between GO and AO with SES and food choices using multiple logistic regression analysis.
Findings
The prevalence of GO and AO was 26.6 and 43.4%, respectively. A positive association was observed between age and GO (p for trend <0.001) and AO (p for trend 0.005) in both sexes. However, a negative correlation was detected between education and income with GO and AO (p for trend <0.001). Two or more servings of fruit consumption a day were associated with lower odds of obesity. It was observed that the odds of GO and AO decreased by three or more servings of daily fruit. The consumption of dairy products in two or more servings a day led to a reduction in odds of GO and AO. The consumption of five or more servings of legumes, beans and nuts a week was associated with lower odds of GO and AO.
Originality/value
Educational attainment, greater income and a higher intake of some specific food groups were associated with lower odds of obesity in the area. More population-based investigations are required to develop effective preventive strategies to control the status of being overweight and obesity in different regions.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to the participants of the industrial company for their great cooperation. They also appreciate the Nutrition Research Center of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences for funding this project.
Abbreviations: GO, General Obesity; AO, Abdominal Obesity; SES, Socioeconomic Status; BMI, Body Mass Index; CI, Confidence Interval; WC, Waist Circumference; NCEP, National Cholesterol Education Program; FFQ, Food Frequency Questionnaire; NHANES, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Citation
Tutunchi, H., Asghari Jafarabadi, M., Hoojeghani, S., Tabrizi, S., Farrin, N., Payahoo, L. and Ostadrahimi, A. (2020), "General and abdominal obesity is related to socioeconomic status and food choices: a cross-sectional study", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 50 No. 1, pp. 61-73. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-02-2019-0056
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited