title: Urban-rural differences in BMI, overweight and obesity in Norway (1990 and 2001).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine body mass index and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 1990 and 2001 in Oslo and Lofoten, Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomly selected study population of 1,924 individuals (OsLof) underwent a structured personal interview in 1990. In 2001, 1629 individuals underwent the same interview. These samples were analysed as two cross-sectional datasets.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall mean BMI in 1990 was 24.7 for men and 22.9 for women, increasing significantly in 2001 to 26.1 and 24.6, respectively. In 1990, 37% of men and 20% of women were overweight, while 5% of men and 4% of women were obese. The corresponding figures for 2001 were 48% and 27% for overweight, and 12% and 11% for obesity, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The greatest increases in average BMI occurred for the youngest (18-34 years) for both genders and geographic regions. In 1990, urban-rural differences existed for mean BMI and proportion overweight for both genders, although geographic differences persisted only for women 10 years later.
authors.affiliation: Helse Øst Health Services Research Unit, Akershus University Hospital, Norway. elisabeth.svensson@ahus.no
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.forename: Deborah L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Reas
authors.forename: Inger
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sandanger
authors.forename: Jan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Nygård
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population