title: Body mass index among Melanesian and Indian Fijians aged ≥ 40 years living in Fiji.
abstract: To determine the distribution and sociodemographic associations of body mass index (BMI; kg/m(2)) among Melanesian and Indian Fijians aged ≥40 years living in Fiji, a population-based cross-sectional survey with multistage random sampling was conducted in 2009. Melanesians were more likely to have BMI ≥25 (odds ratio [OR] = 4.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.57-6.28; P < .001) and BMI ≥30 (OR = 3.84; 95% CI = 2.94-5.03; P < .001). Among Melanesians, gender and educational attainment were predictive of BMI ≥25 on multivariate analysis. Women were more likely to be overweight (OR = 2.03; 95% CI = 1.34-3.06) or obese (OR = 1.92; 95% CI = 1.43-2.59). Among Indians, gender and age were predictive of BMI ≥25. Again, women were more likely to be overweight (OR = 2.51; 95% CI = 1.69-3.73) or obese (OR = 3.71; 95% CI = 2.19-6.29). Gender-age-domicile-adjusted, and extrapolating across Fiji, 0.3%, 84.5%, and 51.7% of Melanesians aged ≥40 years had BMI <18.5, ≥25, and ≥30, respectively. Among Indians, these values were 5.8%, 54.2%, and 21.2%, respectively.
authors.affiliation: The Fred Hollows Foundation New Zealand, Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand. grbrian@tpg.com.au
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brian
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramke
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maher
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: Konstanze
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fischer-Harder
authors.forename: Biu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sikivou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005367:Fiji / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008542:Melanesia / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology; D050177:Overweight / Q000208:ethnology*; D012737:Sex Factors