title: Body mass index relates to males with posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We looked at the relationships among posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), body mass index (BMI) and socioeconomic status (SES) in a newly formed PTSD program at the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond, VA.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed 265 records and then selected only black and white male veterans (n=252) for study. Variables were: 1) age, 2) decade of life, 3) height, 4) weight, 5) sex, 6) race, and 7) SES (estimated using priority group status). Low income is an important variable determining priority group status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About two-thirds of the veterans were in the age range of 50-59 years (Vietnam veterans). Their mean BMI was 30.2 +/- 5.6 kg/m2, and this value did not separate by race. Far exceeding national numbers, 84.1% of our veterans were either overweight or obese. Veterans in the lower priority groups had greater (p=0.029) BMIs than their counterparts in higher priority groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pervasiveness of overweight and obesity in our PTSD population was profound. Our observations suggest that low SES is a likely contributor to veterans in lower priority groups having greater BMIs than veterans in higher priority groups.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Service, Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Richmond, VA, USA. vvieweg@visi.net
authors.forename: W Victor R
authors.initials: WV
authors.lastname: Vieweg
authors.forename: Antony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Demetrios A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Julius
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Satterwhite
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benesek
authors.forename: Stanley J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Feuer
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oldham
authors.forename: Anand K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Pandurangi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D014768:Virginia; D044465:White People