title: Global differences between women and men in the prevalence of obesity: is there an association with gender inequality?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In most populations the prevalence of obesity is greater in women than in men; however, the magnitude of the difference between the sexes varies significantly by country. We considered the role of gender inequality in explaining these disparities.
  
  
  METHODS
  We undertook an ecological analysis of internationally comparable obesity prevalence data to examine the association between indicators of gender inequality and the differences between men and women in obesity prevalence. Gender inequality was assessed using three measures: the Gender Inequality Index, the Global Gender Gap Index and the Social Institutions and Gender Index. We fitted multiple regression models to examine the association.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the prevalence of obesity across countries shows gendered patterning with greater prevalence and greater heterogeneity in women than in men (P<0.001). We also found that two of three measures of gender inequality were significantly associated with the sex differences in obesity prevalence across countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patterning of obesity across countries is gendered. However, the association between global measures of gender inequality and the sex gap in obesity is dependent on the measure used. Further research is needed to investigate the mechanisms that underpin the gendered nature of obesity prevalence.
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Garawi
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Devries
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thorogood
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uauy
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors