title: Aging, obesity, and multimorbidity in women 50 years or older: a population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to evaluate multimorbidity and its associated factors in Brazilian women aged 50 years or older.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional, population-based study using self-reports. A total of 622 women aged 50 years or older were included. Multimorbidity was defined as two or more of the following morbidities: hypertension, osteoarthritis, cataracts, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, glaucoma, chronic bronchitis or asthma, urinary incontinence, cancer, myocardial infarction, stroke, and pulmonary emphysema. Sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral factors were evaluated. Data were analyzed using χ test and Fisher's exact test, and Poisson multiple regression analysis was performed. Prevalence ratios and their 95% CIs were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this sample, 15.8% of participants reported no morbidities, whereas 26% reported having one morbid condition and 58.2% reported multimorbidity. With respect to morbidities, 55.9% of women reported having hypertension, 33.8% reported having osteoarthritis, 24.5% reported having cataracts, 22.7% reported having diabetes, 21.3% reported having osteoporosis, 9.9% reported having glaucoma, 9.2% reported having bronchitis, 8.9% reported having urinary incontinence, and 6.8% reported having cancer, whereas 4.8% reported having had a myocardial infarction, 2.7% reported having had a stroke, and 1.8% reported having pulmonary emphysema. Multiple regression analysis showed that for each additional year of life, women increased their likelihood of multimorbidity by 3% (95% CI, 1.02-1.04). Furthermore, for each point increase (kg/m) in their body mass index, women also increased their likelihood of multimorbidity by 3% (95% CI, 1.02-1.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multimorbidity is principally associated with aging and obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de S Santos Machado
authors.forename: Ana Lúcia Ribeiro
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Valadares
authors.forename: Lúcia H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Costa-Paiva
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Osis
authors.forename: Maria H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Aarão M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pinto-Neto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D017698:Postmenopause; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires