title: Contribution of lifestyle factors to educational differences in abdominal obesity among the adult population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This is the first study to systematically examine the behavioral factors that may explain the inverse association between education and abdominal obesity in adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study conducted among 3541 men and 3564 women representative of the population aged 25-64 years in Spain. Abdominal obesity was defined as waist circumference >102 cm in men and >88 cm in women. Analyzes were performed with logistic regression, with progressive adjustment for obesity-related behaviors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age-, sex- and town size-adjusted odds ratios for abdominal obesity were 1.69 in men and 1.85 in women among individuals with lowest versus highest education. After adjustment for all the studied behaviors, the odds ratio was reduced to 1.49 in men and to 1.45 in women. The factors with the largest contribution to the higher prevalence of abdominal obesity in individuals with lowest versus highest education were more time spent watching TV and less time spent in exercising, as well as a higher energy intake in women. Tobacco and alcohol consumption, physical activity at home, leisure walking, sedentary behaviors other than TV watching, and sleep duration did not explain the educational gradient in abdominal obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Watching TV, physical exercise and energy intake explain a substantial part of the inverse association between education and abdominal obesity.
authors.affiliation: CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid/IdiPaz, Madrid 28029, Spain.
authors.forename: Luz Ma
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: León-Muñoz
authors.affiliation: CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid/IdiPaz, Madrid 28029, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Fisac
authors.affiliation: CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid/IdiPaz, Madrid 28029, Spain.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guallar-Castillón
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Regidor
authors.affiliation: CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid/IdiPaz, Madrid 28029, Spain.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: López-García
authors.affiliation: CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid/IdiPaz, Madrid 28029, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martínez-Gómez
authors.affiliation: CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid/IdiPaz, Madrid 28029, Spain.
authors.forename: Auxiliadora
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Graciani
authors.affiliation: CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid/IdiPaz, Madrid 28029, Spain.
authors.forename: José R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Banegas
authors.affiliation: CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid/IdiPaz, Madrid 28029, Spain. Electronic address: fernando.artalejo@uam.es.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Artalejo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055105:Waist Circumference
keywords: Behaviors; Education; Health disparities; Obesity; Socioeconomic status