Obesity in Turkish adults: Prevalence, validity as coronary risk factor, and interrelation with other risk factors

Abstract

Interrelation between obesity and six other risk factors was investigated based on the data obtained in a cross-sectional population study of a representative sample of 3689 Turkish subjects 20 years of age or older. Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of ≥30 kg/m² in both genders. One hundred seventy-three participants (93 men and 80 women) were diagnosed as having definite or suspected coronary heart disease. Odds ratio was calculated for obesity, and its validity was checked. Prevailing in 42% of Turkish women and 16% of men 40–59 years of age, obesity interacted with a variety of risk factors. The relation between BMI and plasma total cholesterol was significant in young (20–39 years) subjects alone, and that plasma triglyceride in young and middle-aged participants. Both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure rose significantly, with a rise in BMI in women and in young (20–29 years) men. The prevalence of diabetes among obese women was almost threefold that of nonobese women. Except for men in age group 50–59 years, the relative weight did not seem to be affected by physical activity. Though obesity did not represent a coronary risk factor in Turkish men, in women it constituted a significant risk factor valid for all adult ages having an odds ratio of 1.76 and a population attributable risk of 0.146. Despite this, obesity did not prove to be an independent risk factor on multivariate analysis but appeared to act through association with the other factors.