Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2009

Open Access 01-12-2009 | Research article

Risk of obesity in immigrants compared with Swedes in two deprived neighbourhoods

Authors: Johan Faskunger, Ulf Eriksson, Sven-Erik Johansson, Kristina Sundquist, Jan Sundquist

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2009

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Despite a strong social gradient in the prevalence of obesity, there is little scientific understanding of obesity in people settled in deprived neighbourhoods. Few studies are actually based on objectively measured data using random sampling of residents in deprived neighbourhoods. In addition, most studies use a crude measure, the body mass index, to estimate obesity. This is of concern because it may cause inaccurate estimations of the true prevalence and give the wrong picture of the factors associated with obesity. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of, and analyse the sociodemographic factors associated with, three indices of obesity in different ethnic groups settled in two deprived neighbourhoods in Sweden.

Methods

Height and weight, waist circumference and body fat percentage were objectively measured in a random sample (n = 289). Sociodemographic data were obtained through a survey. Established cut-offs were used to determine obesity. Country of birth was categorized as Swedish, Other European, and Middle Eastern. Odds ratios were estimated by unconditional logistic regression.

Results

One third of the sample was classified as obese overall, with 39.0% of women being abdominally obese. After adjusting for age, we found higher odds of obesity in Middle Eastern women than in Swedish women regardless of outcome with odds ratios ranging between 2.74 and 5.53. Men of other European origin had higher odds of BMI obesity than Swedish men. Most associations between country of birth and obesity remained in the full model.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the magnitude of the obesity problem and the need for prevention programmes targeting native and immigrant adults in deprived neighbourhoods in Sweden. The initiatives should also focus on particular groups, e.g. immigrant women and those experiencing economic difficulties. Further studies are needed on behavioural and environmental factors influencing the risk of obesity in residents settled in deprived neighbourhoods.
Literature
1.
World Health Organization: The challenge of obesity in the WHO Region and the strategies for response. Copenhagen. Edited by: Branca F, Nikogosian H, Lobstein T. 2007, 10.1146/annurev.publhealth.22.1.355.
2.
Visscher TL, Seidell JC: The public health impact of obesity. Annu Rev Public Health. 2001, 22: 355-375. 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802964.PubMed
3.
World Health Organization: Obesity: Preventing and managing the global epidemic. WHO technical report series. Geneva. 2000, 10.1038/sj.ijo.0801237.
4.
Berg C, Rosengren A, Aires N, Lappas G, Toren K, Thelle D, Lissner L: Trends in overweight and obesity from 1985 to 2002 in Goteborg, West Sweden. Int J Obes (Lond). 2005, 29 (8): 916-924. 10.1080/08035259950169837.
5.
Lissner L, Johansson SE, Qvist J, Rossner S, Wolk A: Social mapping of the obesity epidemic in Sweden. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000, 24 (6): 801-805. 10.1038/sj.ijo.0801237.PubMed
6.
Rasmussen F, Johansson M, Hansen HO: Trends in overweight and obesity among 18-year-old males in Sweden between 1971 and 1995. Acta Paediatr. 1999, 88 (4): 431-437. 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1996.tb14222.x.PubMed
7.
Statistics Sweden: ULF, Undersökningar av levnadsförhållanden (The Survey of Living Conditions). Bruk och missbruk, vanor och ovanor: hälsorelaterade levnadsvanor 1980–2002 (Healthrelated habits of life 1980–2002). Report 105. 2004, Stockholm, Statistics Sweden
8.
Sundquist K, Qvist J, Johansson SE, Sundquist J: Increasing trends of obesity in Sweden between 1996/97 and 2000/01. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2004, 28 (2): 254-261. 10.1037/0033-2909.105.2.260.PubMed
9.
Bergstrom E, Hernell O, Persson LA: Cardiovascular risk indicators cluster in girls from families of low socio-economic status. Acta Paediatr. 1996, 85 (9): 1083-1090. 10.1097/00149831-200512000-00004.PubMed
10.
Sobal J, Stunkard AJ: Socioeconomic status and obesity: a review of the literature. Psychol Bull. 1989, 105 (2): 260-275. 10.1093/ije/28.5.841.PubMed
11.
Gadd M, Sundquist J, Johansson SE, Wandell P: Do immigrants have an increased prevalence of unhealthy behaviours and risk factors for coronary heart disease?. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil. 2005, 12 (6): 535-541. 10.1016/j.rmed.2008.06.018.PubMed
12.
Sundquist J, Malmstrom M, Johansson SE: Cardiovascular risk factors and the neighbourhood environment: a multilevel analysis. International Journal of Epidemiology. 1999, 28 (5): 841-845. 10.1038/oby.2008.582.PubMed
13.
Tonorezos ES, Karpati AM, Wang Y, Barr RG: Does the relationship between asthma and obesity differ by neighborhood?. Respir Med. 2008, 102 (12): 1797-1804. 10.1016/j.rmed.2008.06.018.PubMedPubMedCentral
14.
Johnson WD, Bouchard C, Newton RL, Ryan DH, Katzmarzyk PT: Ethnic Differences in Self-reported and Measured Obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2009, 17 (3): 571-577. 10.1038/oby.2006.240.
15.
Rowland ML: Self-reported weight and height. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990, 52 (6): 1125-1133. 10.3109/02813438909088651.PubMed
16.
Visscher TL, Viet AL, Kroesbergen IH, Seidell JC: Underreporting of BMI in adults and its effect on obesity prevalence estimations in the period 1998 to 2001. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006, 14 (11): 2054-2063. 10.1093/ije/26.4.860.
17.
Kuskowska-Wolk A, Rossner S: The "true" prevalence of obesity. A comparison of objective weight and height measures versus self-reported and calibrated data. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care. 1989, 7 (2): 79-82. 10.1038/ijo.2008.87.PubMed
18.
Bostrom G, Diderichsen F: Socioeconomic differentials in misclassification of height, weight and body mass index based on questionnaire data. International Journal of Epidemiology. 1997, 26 (4): 860-866. 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2007.05.005.PubMed
19.
Rothman KJ: BMI-related errors in the measurement of obesity. Int J Obes (Lond). 2008, 32 (Suppl 3): S56-59. 10.1046/j.1467-789x.2001.00031.x.
20.
Burkhauser RV, Cawley J: Beyond BMI: the value of more accurate measures of fatness and obesity in social science research. J Health Econ. 2008, 27 (2): 519-529. 10.1007/s10900-005-8189-8.PubMed
21.
Prentice AM, Jebb SA: Beyond body mass index. Obes Rev. 2001, 2 (3): 141-147. 10.1177/14034948990270031001.PubMed
22.
Borders TF, Rohrer JE, Cardarelli KM: Gender-specific disparities in obesity. J Community Health. 2006, 31 (1): 57-68. 10.1007/s10900-005-8189-8.PubMed
23.
Malmstrom M, Sundquist J, Johansson SE, Johansson LM: The influence of social deprivation as measured by the CNI on psychiatric admissions. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. 1999, 27 (3): 189-195. 10.1056/NEJM199910073411501.PubMed
24.
Townsend P, Phillimore P, Beattie A: Health and Deprivation: Inequality and the North. 1988, London: Croom Helm
25.
Malmstrom M, Sundquist J, Bajekal M, Johansson SE: Indices of need and social deprivation for primary health care. Scandinavian Journal of Social Medicine. 1998, 26 (2): 124-130.PubMed
26.
Calle EE, Thun MJ, Petrelli JM, Rodriguez C, Heath CW: Body-mass index and mortality in a prospective cohort of U.S. adults. N Engl J Med. 1999, 341 (15): 1097-1105. 10.1093/qjmed/hcg069.PubMed
27.
Colditz GA, Willett WC, Rotnitzky A, Manson JE: Weight gain as a risk factor for clinical diabetes mellitus in women. Ann Intern Med. 1995, 122 (7): 481-486.PubMed
28.
National Institutes of Health: Clinical guidelines on the identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. The evidence report. 1998, NIH; Washington
29.
Chan DC, Watts GF, Barrett PH, Burke V: Waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index as predictors of adipose tissue compartments in men. QJM. 2003, 96 (6): 441-447. 10.1093/qjmed/hcg069.PubMed
30.
Carey VJ, Walters EE, Colditz GA, Solomon CG, Willett WC, Rosner BA, Speizer FE, Manson JE: Body fat distribution and risk of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in women. The Nurses' Health Study. American Journal of Epidemiology. 1997, 145 (7): 614-619. 10.1016/S0033-3506(99)00124-9.PubMed
31.
Wang Y, Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Hu FB: Comparison of abdominal adiposity and overall obesity in predicting risk of type 2 diabetes among men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005, 81 (3): 555-563. 10.1093/ije/29.3.470.PubMed
32.
Sundquist J, Cmelic-Eng M, Johansson SE: Body mass index and distribution of body fat in female Bosnian refugees – a study in primary health care. Public Health. 1999, 113 (2): 89-93. 10.1016/S0033-3506(99)00124-9.PubMed
33.
Sundquist J, Winkleby M: Country of birth, acculturation status and abdominal obesity in a national sample of Mexican-American women and men. International Journal of Epidemiology. 2000, 29 (3): 470-477. 10.1038/oby.2008.321.PubMed
34.
Bozkirli E, Ertorer ME, Bakiner O, Tutuncu NB, Demirag NG: The validity of the World Health Organisation's obesity body mass index criteria in a Turkish population: a hospital-based study. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2007, 16 (3): 443-447. 10.1038/oby.2007.94.PubMed
35.
Strain GW, Wang J, Gagner M, Pomp A, Inabnet WB, Heymsfield SB: Bioimpedance for severe obesity: comparing research methods for total body water and resting energy expenditure. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008, 16 (8): 1953-1956. 10.1038/oby.2008.321.
36.
Volgyi E, Tylavsky FA, Lyytikainen A, Suominen H, Alen M, Cheng S: Assessing body composition with DXA and bioimpedance: effects of obesity, physical activity, and age. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008, 16 (3): 700-705. 10.1159/000094296.
37.
38.
Oguz A, Temizhan A, Abaci A, Kozan O, Erol C, Ongen Z, Celik S: Obesity and abdominal obesity; an alarming challenge for cardio-metabolic risk in Turkish adults. Anadolu Kardiyol Derg. 2008, 8 (6): 401-406. 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601401.PubMed
39.
Kapantais E, Tzotzas T, Ioannidis I, Mortoglou A, Bakatselos S, Kaklamanou M, Lanaras L, Kaklamanos I: First national epidemiological survey on the prevalence of obesity and abdominal fat distribution in Greek adults. Ann Nutr Metab. 2006, 50 (4): 330-338. 10.1159/000094296.PubMed
40.
De Pablos-Velasco PL, Martinez-Martin FJ, Rodriguez-Perez F: Prevalence of obesity in a Canarian community. Association with type 2 diabetes mellitus: the Guia Study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2002, 56 (6): 557-560. 10.1080/14034940500327935.PubMed
41.
Heinrich KM, Lee RE, Regan GR, Reese-Smith JY, Howard HH, Haddock CK, Poston WS, Ahluwalia JS: How does the built environment relate to body mass index and obesity prevalence among public housing residents?. Am J Health Promot. 2008, 22 (3): 187-194. 10.1038/sj.ijo.0800405.PubMed
42.
Cubbin C, Sundquist K, Ahlen H, Johansson SE, Winkleby MA, Sundquist J: Neighborhood deprivation and cardiovascular disease risk factors: protective and harmful effects. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. 2006, 34 (3): 228-237. 10.1080/14034940500327935.PubMed
43.
Ellaway A, Anderson A, Macintyre S: Does area of residence affect body size and shape?. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1997, 21 (4): 304-308. 10.1038/sj.ijo.0800405.PubMed
44.
Burdette AM, Hill TD: An examination of processes linking perceived neighborhood disorder and obesity. Social Science & Medicine (1982). 2008, 67 (1): 38-46.
45.
Burdette HL, Wadden TA, Whitaker RC: Neighborhood safety, collective efficacy, and obesity in women with young children. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006, 14 (3): 518-525. 10.1038/oby.2006.67.
46.
Wardle J, Steptoe A: Socioeconomic differences in attitudes and beliefs about healthy lifestyles. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 2003, 57 (6): 440-443. 10.1136/jech.57.6.440.PubMedPubMedCentral
47.
Frank LD, Andresen MA, Schmid TL: Obesity relationships with community design, physical activity, and time spent in cars. Am J Prev Med. 2004, 27 (2): 87-96. 10.1016/j.amepre.2004.04.011.PubMed
48.
Booth KM, Pinkston MM, Poston WS: Obesity and the built environment. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005, 105 (5 Suppl 1): S110-117. 10.1016/j.jada.2005.02.045.PubMed
49.
Giles-Corti B, Macintyre S, Clarkson JP, Pikora T, Donovan RJ: Environmental and lifestyle factors associated with overweight and obesity in Perth, Australia. Am J Health Promot. 2003, 18 (1): 93-102.PubMed
Metadata
Title
Risk of obesity in immigrants compared with Swedes in two deprived neighbourhoods
Authors
Johan Faskunger
Ulf Eriksson
Sven-Erik Johansson
Kristina Sundquist
Jan Sundquist
Publication date
01-12-2009
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2009
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-9-304

Other articles of this Issue 1/2009

BMC Public Health 1/2009 Go to the issue

Research article

Health care providers' attitudes towards termination of pregnancy: A qualitative study in South Africa

Research article

High prevalence of chronic kidney disease in Iran: a large population-based study

Research article

Subjective health legacy of the Chornobyl accident: a comparative study of 19-year olds in Kyiv

Research article

Leisure-time physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and feelings of hopelessness in men

Research article

Socioeconomic differences in cancer survival: The Norwegian Women and Cancer Study

Research article

Significant differences in the use of healthcare resources of native-born and foreign born in Spain