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Obesity Prevalence and Associated Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Health Behaviors in Russia and Norway

Author

Listed:
  • Kamila Kholmatova

    (Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
    International Research Competence Centre, Northern State Medical University, Troitsky Av., 51, 163069 Arkhangelsk, Russia)

  • Alexandra Krettek

    (Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
    Department of Public Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Skövde, 541 28 Skövde, Sweden
    Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden)

  • David A. Leon

    (Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
    Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK)

  • Sofia Malyutina

    (Research Institute of Internal and Preventive Medicine, Branch of Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician M.A. Lavrentiev Av., 17, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
    Department of Therapy, Hematology and Transfusiology, Novosibirsk State Medical University, Krasny Av., 52, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia)

  • Sarah Cook

    (Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
    Faculty of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London SW3 6LY, UK)

  • Laila A. Hopstock

    (Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway)

  • Ola Løvsletten

    (Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway)

  • Alexander V. Kudryavtsev

    (Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
    International Research Competence Centre, Northern State Medical University, Troitsky Av., 51, 163069 Arkhangelsk, Russia)

Abstract

Associations between obesity and socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics vary between populations. Exploring such differences should throw light on factors related to obesity. We examined associations between general obesity (GO, defined by body mass index) and abdominal obesity (AO, defined by waist-to-hip ratio) and sex, age, socio-economic characteristics (education, financial situation, marital status), smoking and alcohol consumption in women and men aged 40–69 years from the Know Your Heart study (KYH, Russia, N = 4121, 2015–2018) and the seventh Tromsø Study (Tromsø7, Norway, N = 17,646, 2015–2016). Age-standardized prevalence of GO and AO was higher in KYH compared to Tromsø7 women (36.7 vs. 22.0% and 44.2 vs. 18.4%, respectively) and similar among men (26.0 vs. 25.7% and 74.8 vs. 72.2%, respectively). The positive association of age with GO and AO was stronger in KYH vs. Tromsø7 women and for AO it was stronger in men in Tromsø7 vs. KYH. Associations between GO and socio-economic characteristics were similar in KYH and Tromsø7, except for a stronger association with living with spouse/partner in KYH men. Smoking had a positive association with AO in men in Tromsø7 and in women in both studies. Frequent drinking was negatively associated with GO and AO in Tromsø7 participants and positively associated with GO in KYH men. We found similar obesity prevalence in Russian and Norwegian men but higher obesity prevalence in Russian compared to Norwegian women. Other results suggest that the stronger association of obesity with age in Russian women is the major driver of the higher obesity prevalence among them compared to women in Norway.

Suggested Citation

  • Kamila Kholmatova & Alexandra Krettek & David A. Leon & Sofia Malyutina & Sarah Cook & Laila A. Hopstock & Ola Løvsletten & Alexander V. Kudryavtsev, 2022. "Obesity Prevalence and Associated Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Health Behaviors in Russia and Norway," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-21, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:15:p:9428-:d:877660
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    References listed on IDEAS

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