ABSTRACT
Objective: To examine socioeconomic variables in relation to three indices of adult body composition: the body mass index: and, percent body fat and lean-to-fat body mass ratio, both derived from bioelectric impedance analysis. Purpose: To investigate the relationship between obesity and socioeconomic variables in a developing country. Research methods and procedures: A cross-sectional survey of four neighborhoods differing in socioeconomic status. A random sample of 304 healthy adults, 181 females and 123 males, age range 18-78. Body composition was measured with the body mass index derived from height and weight, and the assessments of percent body fat and the ratio of lean-to-fat body mass derived from bioelectric impedance analysis. Results: Using a linear model with age as a covariate and sex as an additional factor, there were significant interaction effects between sex and socioeconomic group for all three of the body composition variables (p < 0,005). Analysis of trends within sex revealed primarily a linear association between socioeconomic group and body composition for males (p < 0,001), and a curvilinear association between socioeconomic group and body composition for females (p < 0.03). Discussion: The association of socioeconomic status and body composition is significant for males and females, but the pattern of the association varies by gender. It is argued that these results can be explained by three processes: socioeconomic differences in caloric demands of labor: socioeconomic differences in the social value attached to food: and, gender differences in standards of physical attractiveness