Socioeconomic status and overweight/obesity in an adult Chinese population in Singapore.
BACKGROUND
Studies from industrialized Western countries have reported an inverse association between socioeconomic status and overweight/obesity. In contrast, few studies from newly industrialized countries in Asia have examined this association. In this context, we examined the association between socioeconomic status and overweight/obesity by gender in Chinese adults in Singapore.


METHODS
A population-based cross sectional study of 942 participants (57.3% women, 40-81 years) residing in the Tanjong Pagar district of Singapore was conducted. Education, income, and housing type were used as socioeconomic status indicators. Main outcome-of-interest was the presence of overweight/obesity (n=313), classified by body mass index as overweight (25- 29.9 kg/m(2)), or obese (> or =30 kg/m(2)).


RESULTS
The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 33% in men and 34% in women. In men, SES indicators were not associated with overweight/obesity. In women, SES indicators were found to be inversely associated with overweight/ obesity. Compared to women with secondary/higher education, the odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) of overweight/obesity in women with primary/lower education was 2.5 (1.5-4.0). Compared to women earning > Singapore dollar (SGD) 1,000 per month, the OR (95% CI) of overweight/obesity among women earning < or =SGD 1,000 was 2.5 (1.4-4.5). Compared to women living in large size public apartments or private houses, the OR (95% CI) of overweight/obesity in women living in small/medium size public apartments was 1.8 (1.2-2.7).


CONCLUSIONS
Lower socioeconomic status, defined by education, income, and housing type was associated with overweight/obesity in Chinese Singaporean women.
Sabanayagam
Charumathi
C
Department of Community, Occupational, and Family Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.
Shankar
Anoop
A
Wong
Tien Yin
TY
Saw
Seang Mei
SM
Foster
Paul J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology; D050177:Overweight; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors