| Trends in overweight by educational level in 33 lowand middle-income countries: the role of parity, age at first birth and breastfeeding |
| Authors: |
S. Lopez-Arana, A. Burdorf and M. Avendano |
| Source: |
Obesity Reviews, 14(10):806-17. doi: 10.1111/obr.12051. Epub 2013 Jun 19. |
| Topic(s): |
Breastfeeding
Education
Obesity
Women's health
|
| Country: |
More than one region
Multiple Regions
|
| Published: |
MAY 2013 |
| Abstract: |
This study examined trends in overweight among women of reproductive age by
educational level in 33 low- and middle-income countries, and estimated the
contribution of parity, age at first birth and breastfeeding to these trends. We used
repeated cross-sectional Demographic Health Surveys of 255,828 women aged
25–49 years interviewed between 1992 and 2009. We applied logistic regression
to model overweight (>25 kg m-2) as a function of education, reproductive variables
and time period by country and region. The prevalence of overweight ranged
from 3.4% in South and Southeast Asia to 73.7% in North Africa West/Central
Asia during the study period. The association between education and overweight
differed across regions. In North Africa West/Central Asia and Latin American,
lower education was associated with higher overweight prevalence, while the
inverse was true in South/Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. In all regions,
there was a consistent pattern of increasing overweight trends across all educational
groups. Older age at first birth, longer breastfeeding and lower parity were
associated with less overweight, for differences by educational level in overweight
prevalence and trends.
Keywords: Developing countries, education, overweight, parity. |
|