Author(s):
Sardinha, Luís 
; Santos, Diana ; Silva, Analiza ; Coelho-e-Silva, Manuel ; Raimundo, Armando ; Moreira, Helena ; Santos, Rute ; Vale, Susana ; Baptista, Fátima ; Mota, Jorge
Date: 2012
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10174/7222
Origin: Repositório Científico da Universidade de Évora
Subject(s): Overweight; Obesity; Abdominal Obesity
Description
This study determined the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity in the Portuguese adults and
examined the relationship between above mentioned prevalences and educational level. Body mass, stature, and waist
circumference were measured in a representative sample of the Portuguese population aged 18–103 years (n = 9,447; 18–64
years: n = 6,908; $65 years: n = 2,539). Overweight and obesity corresponded to a body mass index ranging between 25–
29.9 kg/m2 and $30 kg/m2, respectively. Abdominal obesity was assessed as .102 cm for males and .88 cm for females.
After adjusting for educational level, the combined prevalences of overweight and obesity were 66.6% in males and 57.9%
in females (18–64 years). Respective values in older adults ($65 years) were 70.4% for males and 74.7% for females. About
19.3% of adult males and 37.9% of adult females presented abdominal obesity. Correspondent values in older adults were
32.1%, for males, and 69.7%, for females. In adults, low educational level was related to an increased risk for overweight
(OR = 2.54; 95% CI: 2.08–3.09), obesity (OR = 2.76; 95% CI: 2.20–3.45), and abdominal obesity (OR = 5.48; 95% CI: 4.60–6.52).
This reinforces the importance of adjusting public health strategies for educational level.
