Two industrial cohorts: baseline characteristics and factors associated with obesity.
OBJECTIVE
To describe demographic and health characteristics, and factors associated with obesity among production workers.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study analyzed baseline data from two occupational cohorts. Regression modeling was used to assess associations between worker characteristics and obesity.


RESULTS
A total of 1974 subjects were included in these analyses. The mean body mass index was 29.5 kg/m (SD = 6.5). Having smoked in the past and currently smoking decreased the odds of being obese in the WISTAH Distal Upper Extremity cohort, whereas those feeling depressed had increased odds of being obese. Being a Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian and married increased the odds of obesity in the BackWorks Low Back Pain cohort.


CONCLUSIONS
Factors associated with obesity differed substantially between the two cohorts. Recognizing factors associated with obesity in specific work settings may provide opportunities for optimizing preventive workplace interventions.
From the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (Drs Ott, Thiese, and Hegmann), Department of Family and Preventive Medicine (Drs Ott, Stanford, Thiese, Greenwood, and Hegmann), Division of Epidemiology (Dr Murtaugh), Division of Family and Preventive Medicine, Department of Public Health (Dr Gren), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; and Center for Ergonomics (Dr Garg), University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Ulrike
U
Ott
Joseph B
JB
Stanford
Matthew S
MS
Thiese
Maureen A
MA
Murtaugh
Jessica L J
JL
Greenwood
Lisa H
LH
Gren
Arun
A
Garg
Kurt T
KT
Hegmann
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult