title: Socioeconomic inequality of overweight and obesity of the elderly in Iran: Bushehr Elderly Health (BEH) Program.
abstract: The objective of this population-based, large sample size study was to investigate the socioeconomic inequality of overweight and obesity among the elderly in Iran.
  
  
  
  Baseline data of 3000 persons aged ≥60 years who participated in the Bushehr Elderly Health (BEH) program was analyzed. Overweight and obesity were defined as a body mass index (BMI) equal to or higher than 25 and 30, respectively. Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured by an asset index, constructed using principal component analysis, income, education level, and employment status. The Concentration Index and the Lorenz curve were used to illustrate the levels of inequality for overweight and obesity by gender.
  
  
  
  The frequencies among men and women were, respectively, 840 (57.7%) and 1131 (73.2%), P < 0.001, for overweight, and 211 (14.7%) and 511 (33.7%), P < 0.001, for obesity. There were direct associations between asset index quintiles and both overweight and obesity among both genders (Ps for trend <0.01) except for obesity among men (P for trend = 0.118). The overall Concentration Indices for overweight and obesity were 0.031 (95%CI = 0.016-0.046, P < 0.001) and 0.041 (95%CI = 0.004-0.078, p = 0.028), respectively.
  
  
  
  Findings support the direct relationship between SES and obesity among women as previously reported in developing countries.
authors.affiliation: The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Po box: 7514763448, Imam Khomaini Street, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raeisi
authors.affiliation: The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Po box: 7514763448, Imam Khomaini Street, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammadbagher
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehboudi
authors.affiliation: The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Po box: 7514763448, Imam Khomaini Street, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Darabi
authors.affiliation: The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Po box: 7514763448, Imam Khomaini Street, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Iraj
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nabipour
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Bagher
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larijani
authors.affiliation: Elderly Health Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mehrdad
authors.affiliation: Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heshmat
authors.affiliation: Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Gita
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shafiee
authors.affiliation: Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farshad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.affiliation: The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Po box: 7514763448, Imam Khomaini Street, Bushehr, Iran. a.ostovar@bpums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ostovar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Elderly; Iran; Obesity; Overweight; Socioeconomic Status