The relationship among obesity, menopausal status, and health behavior among middle-aged women in a rural community of southern Taiwan.
In this study we explored the relationship among obesity, menopausal status, and health behavior among middle-aged women in a rural community of southern Taiwan. This was a cross-sectional study using a face-to-face interview to collect data. Sixty middle-aged women from four community centers participated in this study. The results indicated that approximately 23.3% of the women had body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27 kg/m(2), and 38.3% of the women's waist girths were above 80 cm. Both BMI and waist circumference (WC) of the middle-aged women were significantly different between reproductive and postmenopausal status. The variable of nutrition-related health behavior was significantly and negatively associated with the BMI levels and accounted for 12% of the total variance. An understanding of the factors that contribute to obesity is provided among middle-aged women in Taiwan's rural communities.
Institute of Medicine, Chung-Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Hsiang-Chu
HC
Pai
Hsiu-Chin
HC
Chen
Lee-Ing
LI
Tsao
D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008019:Life Style; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013624:Taiwan; D055105:Waist Circumference