The factors associated with Body Mass Index of adults

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Obesity is influenced by multiple factors, both genetic and environmental factors. We investigated the relationship between socioeconomic, behavioral, dietary, reproductive factors and body mass index(BMI). METHODS: The subject were 3000 adults who had visited the Health Screening and Diagnosis Center of Yeungnam University School of Medicine from February to June, 1997. We evaluated BMI and occupation, exercise, smoking, alcohol intake, total calory intake, fat and carbohydrate intake in both gender and reproductive factors in women. Then, we analyzed the association between BMI and such variables as above. RESULTS: 1629 men and 1371 women were analyzed. The mean BMI was 23.4+/- 2.8kg/M(2) in men, 22.9+/- 3.1kg/M(2) in women. In both gender, 9.7% of our population had BMl over 27. Mean BMI increased with age. Those who were active and light smokers( 20cigarette/day) had the lowest BMI in men. But no relationship was observed between BMI and exercise, smoking in women. Heavy alcohol drinkers(> 1cup/day) had higher BMI than other group in both gender. We found significant correlation between BMI and total calory intake, calory intake to recommended calory ratio in both gender. In women, the group whose number of parity was above 3 had significantly higher BMI than the other. And age at first birth was significantly correlated with BMI in a negative direction. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that BMI was associated with age, smoking, alcohol, total calory intake, calory intake to recommended calory ratio, parity, age at first birth. Socioeconomic class, exercise and diet composition appeared to have little influence.