Socioeconomic inequality of overweight and obesity of the elderly in Iran: Bushehr Elderly Health (BEH) Program

Authors

Alireza Raeisi 1, Mohammadbagher Mehboudi 1, Hossein Darabi 1, Iraj Nabipour 1, Bagher Larijani 2, Neda Mehrdad 3, Ramin Heshmat 4, Gita Shafiee 4, Farshad Sharifi 4, Afshin Ostovar 5

  1. The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Po box: 7514763448, Imam Khomaini Street, Bushehr, Iran.
  2. Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  3. Elderly Health Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  4. Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  5. The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Po box: 7514763448, Imam Khomaini Street, Bushehr, Iran. a.ostovar@bpums.ac.ir.
BMC Public Health

Abstract

Background: The objective of this population-based, large sample size study was to investigate the socioeconomic inequality of overweight and obesity among the elderly in Iran.

Methods: Baseline data of 3000 persons aged ≥60 years who participated in the Bushehr Elderly Health (BEH) program was analyzed. Overweight and obesity were defined as a body mass index (BMI) equal to or higher than 25 and 30, respectively. Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured by an asset index, constructed using principal component analysis, income, education level, and employment status. The Concentration Index and the Lorenz curve were used to illustrate the levels of inequality for overweight and obesity by gender.

Results: The frequencies among men and women were, respectively, 840 (57.7%) and 1131 (73.2%), P < 0.001, for overweight, and 211 (14.7%) and 511 (33.7%), P < 0.001, for obesity. There were direct associations between asset index quintiles and both overweight and obesity among both genders (Ps for trend <0.01) except for obesity among men (P for trend = 0.118). The overall Concentration Indices for overweight and obesity were 0.031 (95%CI = 0.016-0.046, P < 0.001) and 0.041 (95%CI = 0.004-0.078, p = 0.028), respectively.

Conclusion: Findings support the direct relationship between SES and obesity among women as previously reported in developing countries.

Keywords: Elderly; Iran; Obesity; Overweight; Socioeconomic Status.

How to Cite

Raeisi A, Mehboudi M, Darabi H, Nabipour I, Larijani B, Mehrdad N, Heshmat R, Shafiee G, Sharifi F, Ostovar A. Socioeconomic inequality of overweight and obesity of the elderly in Iran: Bushehr Elderly Health (BEH) Program. BMC Public Health. 2017 Jan 13;17(1):72. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3912-1. PMID: 28086842; PMCID: PMC5237161.

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Socioeconomic inequality of overweight and obesity of the elderly in Iran: Bushehr Elderly Health (BEH) Program

Tags: Afshin Ostovar, Alireza Raeisi, Bagher Larijani, Farshad Sharifi, Gita Shafiee, Hossein Darabi, Iraj Nabipour, Mohammadbagher Mehboudi, Neda Mehrdad, Ramin Heshmat