Abstract
Background
Overweight is a risk factor for chronic diseases.
Objective
To estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity and to investigate its association with demographic, socioeconomic, reproductive and health behaviors related among women users of specialized care units.
Method
Cross-sectional study with women in care by a mastologist. Nutritional status was classified by Body Mass Index (BMI). Gross and adjusted multinomial logistic regression models were used, to estimate an Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI). Eutrophy was considered as a reference category.
Results
182 women with a mean age of 51 years. The prevalence of overweight was 34.1% (CI 95% 27.1-41.0) and obesity was 31.8% (CI 95% 25.0-38.7). Women were more likely to be obese: 60 years of age or older, who were gainfully employed, who had menarche before age 13, and with three or more pregnancies. After adjusted analysis, they remained associated with a greater chance of the development of obesity to menarche before 13 years (OR 4.40 CI 95% 1.76-10.99) and three or more pregnancies (OR 8.50 CI 95% 2.14-33.70).
Conclusion
There was a high prevalence of overweight and obesity among the participants, associated with reproductive characteristics.
Keywords:
women; obesity; overweight; menarche; menopause; cross-sectional studies