title: [Chosen environmental factors and their effect on the incidence of overweight and obesity in the population of Podlasie Region].
abstract: The study was conducted to evaluate chosen environmental factors that may contribute to overweight or obesity among the population of Podlasie. Socio-economic status, physical activity and the use of condiments and medications were assessed. The investigations, treated as preliminary, used questionnaire technique and involved 150 volunteers (132 women and 18 men), aged 18-69 years (women; mean 37.4 +/- 12.50) and 18-62 (men; mean 30.0 +/- 11.03). In the majority of subjects the first symptoms of obesity appeared in childhood and puberty. Overweight was familial in 69.6% of women and in 77.7% of men (statistically significant risk factor), which could reflect genetic load or similar lifestyle. Frequency and type of recreational and sports activity were evaluated. Over 77% of the subjects examined declared little and inadequately matched physical activity. The knowledge of health state was unsatisfactory and obesity was considered only in cosmetic terms. Prophylactic actions should intend to educate the whole society, propagate healthy lifestyle and to increase physical activity. People with overweight and obesity should tend to normalise body mass and thus to improve metabolic parameters and general feeling.
authors.affiliation: Zakład Higieny i Epidemiologii, Akademia Medyczna, 15-222 Białystok.
authors.forename: Lucyna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ostrowska
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Karczewski
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Czapska
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krzemińska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors