title: Body mass index in Serbian Roma.
abstract: Stature and body mass were measured in 346 individuals belonging to three Roma groups from metropolitan Belgrade western Serbia. As with the majority of Serbian Roma, the participants in this study have been historically disadvantaged and their situation was further aggravated during the recent political crises. Surprisingly, the body mass index (BMI) of Serbian Roma is relatively high compared with western Europeans and is inconsistent with the view that Serbian Roma are predisposed to high rates of chronic energy deficiency ( approximately 4%). While the majority of individual Roma display BMI values within the normal range (WHO, 1995), certain groups have a moderate to high proportion of individuals ( approximately 35%) who could be classified as overweight and some who approach at-risk levels for clinical obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology and Developmental Studies, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa. agal1815@gmail.com
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cvorović
authors.forename: Goran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Strkalj
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005061:Europe, Eastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D055771:Serbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class