Obesity and association with area of residence, gender and socio-economic factors in Algerian and Tunisian adults.
INTRODUCTION: The epidemiological transition has resulted in a major increase in the prevalence of obesity in North Africa. This study investigated differences in obesity and its association with area of residence, gender and socio-economic position among adults in Algeria and Tunisia, two countries...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2013-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3792975?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818580208207265792 |
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| author | Madjid Atek Pierre Traissac Jalila El Ati Youcef Laid Hajer Aounallah-Skhiri Sabrina Eymard-Duvernay Nadia Mézimèche Souha Bougatef Chiraz Béji Leila Boutekdjiret Yves Martin-Prével Hassiba Lebcir Agnès Gartner Patrick Kolsteren Francis Delpeuch Habiba Ben Romdhane Bernard Maire |
| author_facet | Madjid Atek Pierre Traissac Jalila El Ati Youcef Laid Hajer Aounallah-Skhiri Sabrina Eymard-Duvernay Nadia Mézimèche Souha Bougatef Chiraz Béji Leila Boutekdjiret Yves Martin-Prével Hassiba Lebcir Agnès Gartner Patrick Kolsteren Francis Delpeuch Habiba Ben Romdhane Bernard Maire |
| author_sort | Madjid Atek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | INTRODUCTION: The epidemiological transition has resulted in a major increase in the prevalence of obesity in North Africa. This study investigated differences in obesity and its association with area of residence, gender and socio-economic position among adults in Algeria and Tunisia, two countries with socio-economic and socio-cultural similarities. METHODS: Cross-sectional studies used stratified, three-level, clustered samples of 35-70 year old adults in Algeria, (women n = 2741, men n = 2004) and Tunisia (women n = 2964, men n = 2379). Thinness was defined as Body Mass Index (BMI) = weight/height <18.5 kg/m(2), obesity as BMI ≥30, and abdominal obesity as waist circumference/height ≥0.6. Associations with area of residence, gender, age, education, profession and household welfare were assessed. RESULTS: Prevalence of thinness was very low except among men in Algeria (7.3% C.I.[5.9-8.7]). Prevalence of obesity among women was high in Algeria (30.1% C.I.[27.8-32.4]) and Tunisia (37.0% C.I.[34.4-39.6]). It was less so among men (9.1% C.I.[7.1-11.0] and 13.3% C.I.[11.2-15.4]).The results were similar for abdominal obesity. In both countries women were much more obesity-prone than men: the women versus men obesity Odds-Ratio was 4.3 C.I.[3.4-5.5] in Algeria and 3.8 C.I.[3.1-4.7] in Tunisia. Obesity was more prevalent in urban versus rural areas in Tunisia, but not in Algeria (e.g. for women, urban versus rural Odds-Ratio was 2.4 C.I.[1.9-3.1] in Tunisia and only 1.2 C.I.[1.0-5.5] in Algeria). Obesity increased with household welfare, but more markedly in Tunisia, especially among women. Nevertheless, in both countries, even in the lowest quintile of welfare, a fifth of the women were obese. CONCLUSION: The prevention of obesity, especially in women, is a public health issue in both countries, but there were differences in the patterning of obesity according to area of residence and socio-economic position. These specificities must be taken into account in the management of obesity inequalities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T07:13:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aa77bdea7f7c4782905c5c97f74eafac |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T07:13:56Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-aa77bdea7f7c4782905c5c97f74eafac2022-12-21T22:39:49ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032013-01-01810e7564010.1371/journal.pone.0075640Obesity and association with area of residence, gender and socio-economic factors in Algerian and Tunisian adults.Madjid AtekPierre TraissacJalila El AtiYoucef LaidHajer Aounallah-SkhiriSabrina Eymard-DuvernayNadia MézimècheSouha BougatefChiraz BéjiLeila BoutekdjiretYves Martin-PrévelHassiba LebcirAgnès GartnerPatrick KolsterenFrancis DelpeuchHabiba Ben RomdhaneBernard MaireINTRODUCTION: The epidemiological transition has resulted in a major increase in the prevalence of obesity in North Africa. This study investigated differences in obesity and its association with area of residence, gender and socio-economic position among adults in Algeria and Tunisia, two countries with socio-economic and socio-cultural similarities. METHODS: Cross-sectional studies used stratified, three-level, clustered samples of 35-70 year old adults in Algeria, (women n = 2741, men n = 2004) and Tunisia (women n = 2964, men n = 2379). Thinness was defined as Body Mass Index (BMI) = weight/height <18.5 kg/m(2), obesity as BMI ≥30, and abdominal obesity as waist circumference/height ≥0.6. Associations with area of residence, gender, age, education, profession and household welfare were assessed. RESULTS: Prevalence of thinness was very low except among men in Algeria (7.3% C.I.[5.9-8.7]). Prevalence of obesity among women was high in Algeria (30.1% C.I.[27.8-32.4]) and Tunisia (37.0% C.I.[34.4-39.6]). It was less so among men (9.1% C.I.[7.1-11.0] and 13.3% C.I.[11.2-15.4]).The results were similar for abdominal obesity. In both countries women were much more obesity-prone than men: the women versus men obesity Odds-Ratio was 4.3 C.I.[3.4-5.5] in Algeria and 3.8 C.I.[3.1-4.7] in Tunisia. Obesity was more prevalent in urban versus rural areas in Tunisia, but not in Algeria (e.g. for women, urban versus rural Odds-Ratio was 2.4 C.I.[1.9-3.1] in Tunisia and only 1.2 C.I.[1.0-5.5] in Algeria). Obesity increased with household welfare, but more markedly in Tunisia, especially among women. Nevertheless, in both countries, even in the lowest quintile of welfare, a fifth of the women were obese. CONCLUSION: The prevention of obesity, especially in women, is a public health issue in both countries, but there were differences in the patterning of obesity according to area of residence and socio-economic position. These specificities must be taken into account in the management of obesity inequalities.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3792975?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Madjid Atek Pierre Traissac Jalila El Ati Youcef Laid Hajer Aounallah-Skhiri Sabrina Eymard-Duvernay Nadia Mézimèche Souha Bougatef Chiraz Béji Leila Boutekdjiret Yves Martin-Prével Hassiba Lebcir Agnès Gartner Patrick Kolsteren Francis Delpeuch Habiba Ben Romdhane Bernard Maire Obesity and association with area of residence, gender and socio-economic factors in Algerian and Tunisian adults. PLoS ONE |
| title | Obesity and association with area of residence, gender and socio-economic factors in Algerian and Tunisian adults. |
| title_full | Obesity and association with area of residence, gender and socio-economic factors in Algerian and Tunisian adults. |
| title_fullStr | Obesity and association with area of residence, gender and socio-economic factors in Algerian and Tunisian adults. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Obesity and association with area of residence, gender and socio-economic factors in Algerian and Tunisian adults. |
| title_short | Obesity and association with area of residence, gender and socio-economic factors in Algerian and Tunisian adults. |
| title_sort | obesity and association with area of residence gender and socio economic factors in algerian and tunisian adults |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3792975?pdf=render |
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