title: [Prevalence of obesity in immigrants in Madrid, Spain].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There are no studies in Spain on the extent of obesity in adult immigrants. The aim of this paper is to present the frequency and distribution of obesity among immigrants living in Madrid.
  
  
  METHODS
  We selected subjects between 18 and 64 years of age. Body Mass Index was used as an estimator of obesity. Immigrant status was defined according to country of birth. The results show the unadjusted and adjusted prevalence of obesity for different immigrant groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of obesity was higher in the immigrant population than in the Spanish population, except for the group of immigrants from western countries. According to gender, male immigrants from Eastern Europe and Latin America and women from Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe were the most obese.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The highest prevalence of obesity among immigrants has also been observed in studies conducted in other countries. The prevalence of obesity among immigrants may be due to a more intense exposure to obesogenic factors both before arrival and during their residence in Spain.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Medicina Preventiva, Hospital Nuestra Señora del Prado, Toledo, España. anac_1975@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ana Cecilia
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Marín-Guerrero
authors.forename: Juan Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Fisac
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guallar-Castillón
authors.forename: José Ramón
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Banegas Banegas
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Regidor
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Artalejo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health; D055815:Young Adult