Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Submit your manuscript now - click here

Click here for more information on The Virtual Advisor

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
Journal of Aging and Health
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Carter, A. O.
Right arrow Articles by Hennis, A. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Carter, A. O.
Right arrow Articles by Hennis, A. J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?

Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated With Obesity in the Elderly in Barbados

Anne O. Carter

University of the West Indies, School of Clinical Medicine and Research

Ian R. Hambleton

University of the West Indies, Tropical Medicine Research Institute

Hedy L. Broome

University of the West Indies, Tropical Medicine Research Institute

Henry S. Fraser

University of the West Indies, Tropical Medicine Research Institute

Anselm J. Hennis

University of the West Indies, Tropical Medicine Research Institute

This article’s objective is to examine the epidemiology of obesity in the urban elderly population of Barbados. A random sample of adults ≥ 60 years underwent comprehensive interviews and measurement of their weight, height, and waist circumference (WC). Outcomes of interest were obesity (body mass index [BMI] > 30 kg/m2), high-risk WC (men ≥ 102 cm; women ≥ 88 cm), and high risk of disease comorbidity (from BMI and WC criteria). Total, 1,508 persons participated (80% response). Women had higher rates of obesity (31% vs. 11.9%), high-risk WC (61.9% vs. 13.9%), and disease co-morbidity risk (51.1% vs. 17.5%) compared to men. Multivariate regression confirmed female gender as an independent predictor of outcomes (p < 0.001). Other predictors were less consistent: self-reported fair/poor health status and eating two (vs. three) meals daily were associated with obesity, whereas semiprofessional occupation and unmarried status predicted high-risk WC. Obesity is highly prevalent among elderly Barbadians. Public health interventions must target this group, particularly women.

Key Words: obesity • Barbados • Caribbean

Journal of Aging and Health, Vol. 18, No. 2, 240-258 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0898264305285619
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J Aging HealthHome page
B. E. Alvarado, R. O. Guerra, and M. V. Zunzunegui
Gender Differences in Lower Extremity Function in Latin American Elders: Seeking Explanations From a Life-Course Perspective
J Aging Health, December 1, 2007; 19(6): 1004 - 1024.
[Abstract] [PDF]