title: Factors associated with obesity in Iranian elderly people: results from the national health survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  No studies have been carried out so far to cover the association between factors related to obesity, in a representative sample of the Iranian elderly population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data in this investigation were taken from the National Health Survey in Iran, which included 4380 people aged 60 and older. The logistic regression was applied to model the relationship between the odds of obesity and age, sex, education level, place of residence, smoking and marital status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Obesity odds ratios were 1.96 (95% CI: 1.53--2.52) for women, 2.16 (95% CI: 1.71--2.72) for the subjects living in urban areas and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.47--0.97) for smokers. Regarding the people aged 60-64 years as the reference group, the obesity odds ratios were 0.86 (95% CI: 0.66--1.10) for ages 65-69 years, 0.75 (95% CI: 0.57--0.97) for ages 70-74 years, 0.43 (95% CI: 0.30--0.60) for ages 75-79 years and 0.36 (95% CI: 0.20--0.63) for ages 80+ years. Using the basic education level as the reference group, obesity odds ratios were 1.38 (95% CI: 1.08-1.76) for the moderate level and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.56- 1.52) for the high level group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As the result of findings, we are optimistic that we would be able to contribute to the aged community of the society, which could be achieved by means of better treatments and reductions in the rate of obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics and Computer, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Bakhshi@razi.tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Enayatollah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bakhshi
authors.forename: Behjat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Seifi
authors.forename: Akbar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biglarian
authors.forename: Kazem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mohammad