Socio-economic status and abdominal obesity among Finnish adults from 1992 to 2002.
OBJECTIVE
To examine 10-year changes in waist circumference (WC) and identify socio-economic groups having higher WC than expected by their body mass index (BMI).


METHODS
Population based cross-sectional surveys carried out in four regions of Finland in 1992, 1997 and 2002.


METHODS
A total of 9026 women and 8173 men, aged 25-64 years.


METHODS
Waist circumference, BMI, socio-economic indicators (education, household income, employment status, marital status) and health behaviors (smoking, alcohol use, physical activity).


RESULTS
In 2002, women had about 2.7 cm and men about 1.0 cm higher WC than subjects 10 years previously. Waist circumference increased more than BMI among women, especially among unemployed women. Higher WC among non-employed women was not explained by socio-economic indicators or health behaviors. Among men, smaller WC was associated with lower socio-economic status. However, associations partly disappeared after adjustment for health behaviors including physical activity at work.


CONCLUSIONS
Socio-economic patterning of WC is divergent and gender-specific. More attention should be paid to increasing waistlines among women.
Sarlio-Lähteenkorva
S
S
Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. sirpa.sarlio-lahteenkorva@helsinki.fi
Silventoinen
K
K
Lahti-Koski
M
M
Laatikainen
T
T
Jousilahti
P
P
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D050507:Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal / Q000473:pathology*