title: Prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity in urban Hanoi, Vietnam.
abstract: This study aims to assess the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity among adults in urban Hanoi, Vietnam; and compare these results to previous estimates among adults in urban Ho Chi Minh City. Survey participants were residents in urban Hanoi, Vietnam and aged between 25-74 years. Data from a cross-sectional biomedical survey conducted in 2004 were collected; which included a questionnaire, physical examination and blood tests. The age-standardised prevalence of overweight and obesity in 2004, using Asian-specific body mass index cut-offs, were 28.6% and 2.1%, respectively. The prevalence of overweight/obesity (combined) was similar in males (29.7%) and females (31.5%), and generally increased with age. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was considerably lower if the standard cut-off values of the World Health Organization were used. The age-standardised prevalence of underweight was 13.3%; and that of 'increased risk'/'substantially increased risk' waist circumference (combined) was 27.9% in males and 25.7% in females, respectively. Almost one in three adults in urban Hanoi were overweight or obese in 2004 and more than one in ten were underweight (based on Asian-specific cut-off values). This prevalence of overweight/obesity is similar to that for adults in urban Ho Chi Minh City, but the prevalence of underweight is lower. While low body weight remains a concern, overweight and obesity are an increasing problem for urban Vietnamese adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Alfred Hospital, VIC 3004, Australia. Helen.walls@med.monash.edu.au
authors.forename: Helen L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Walls
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: Pham Thai
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Nguyen Ngoc
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Quang
authors.forename: Nguyen Thi Thu
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Hoai
authors.forename: Do Doan
authors.initials: do D
authors.lastname: Loi
authors.forename: Nguyen Lan
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Viet
authors.forename: Pham Gia
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Khai
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013851:Thinness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014505:Urban Population; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology; D055105:Waist Circumference; D014944:World Health Organization