Socioeconomic status, sex, and obesity in a large national cohort of 15-87-year-old Open University students in Thailand

Background: As obesity increases, middle-income countries are undergoing a health-risk transition. We examine the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and emerging obesity in Thailand, and ascertain if an inverse relationship between SES and obesity has appeared. Methods: The data derived...

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Main Authors: Sam Ang Seubsman, Lynette L.Y. Lim, Cathy Banwell, Nintita Sripaiboonkit, Matthew Kelly, Christopher Bain, Adrian C. Sleigh
Other Authors: Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University
Format: Article
Published: 2018
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Online Access:https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/29873
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spelling th-mahidol.298732018-09-24T16:38:09Z Socioeconomic status, sex, and obesity in a large national cohort of 15-87-year-old Open University students in Thailand Sam Ang Seubsman Lynette L.Y. Lim Cathy Banwell Nintita Sripaiboonkit Matthew Kelly Christopher Bain Adrian C. Sleigh Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University Australian National University Mahidol University University of Queensland Medicine Background: As obesity increases, middle-income countries are undergoing a health-risk transition. We examine the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and emerging obesity in Thailand, and ascertain if an inverse relationship between SES and obesity has appeared. Methods: The data derived from 87 134 individuals (54% female; median age, 29 years) in a national cohort of distance-learning Open University students aged 15-87 years and living throughout Thailand. We calculated adjusted odds ratios for associations of SES with obesity (body mass index, ≥25) across 3 age groups by sex, after controlling for marital status, age, and urbanization. Results: Obesity increased with age and was more prevalent among males than females (22.7% vs 9.9%); more females were underweight (21.8% vs 6.2%). Annual income was 2000 to 3000 US dollars for most participants. High SES, defined by education, income, household assets, and housing type, associated strongly with obesity-positively for males and inversely for females-especially for participants younger than 40 years. The OR for obesity associated with income was as high as 1.54 for males and as low as 0.68 for females (P for trend <0.001). Conclusions: Our national Thai cohort has passed a tipping point and assumed a pattern seen in developed countries, ie, an inverse association between SES and obesity in females. We expect the overall population of Thailand to follow this pattern, as education spreads and incomes rise. A public health problem of underweight females could emerge. Recognition of these patterns is important for programs combating obesity. Many middle income countries are undergoing similar transitions. © 2009 by the Japan Epidemiological Association. 2018-09-24T09:38:09Z 2018-09-24T09:38:09Z 2010-01-01 Article Journal of Epidemiology. Vol.20, No.1 (2010), 13-20 10.2188/jea.JE20090014 13499092 09175040 2-s2.0-77649218780 https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/29873 Mahidol University SCOPUS https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=77649218780&origin=inward
institution Mahidol University
building Mahidol University Library
continent Asia
country Thailand
Thailand
content_provider Mahidol University Library
collection Mahidol University Institutional Repository
topic Medicine
spellingShingle Medicine
Sam Ang Seubsman
Lynette L.Y. Lim
Cathy Banwell
Nintita Sripaiboonkit
Matthew Kelly
Christopher Bain
Adrian C. Sleigh
Socioeconomic status, sex, and obesity in a large national cohort of 15-87-year-old Open University students in Thailand
description Background: As obesity increases, middle-income countries are undergoing a health-risk transition. We examine the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and emerging obesity in Thailand, and ascertain if an inverse relationship between SES and obesity has appeared. Methods: The data derived from 87 134 individuals (54% female; median age, 29 years) in a national cohort of distance-learning Open University students aged 15-87 years and living throughout Thailand. We calculated adjusted odds ratios for associations of SES with obesity (body mass index, ≥25) across 3 age groups by sex, after controlling for marital status, age, and urbanization. Results: Obesity increased with age and was more prevalent among males than females (22.7% vs 9.9%); more females were underweight (21.8% vs 6.2%). Annual income was 2000 to 3000 US dollars for most participants. High SES, defined by education, income, household assets, and housing type, associated strongly with obesity-positively for males and inversely for females-especially for participants younger than 40 years. The OR for obesity associated with income was as high as 1.54 for males and as low as 0.68 for females (P for trend <0.001). Conclusions: Our national Thai cohort has passed a tipping point and assumed a pattern seen in developed countries, ie, an inverse association between SES and obesity in females. We expect the overall population of Thailand to follow this pattern, as education spreads and incomes rise. A public health problem of underweight females could emerge. Recognition of these patterns is important for programs combating obesity. Many middle income countries are undergoing similar transitions. © 2009 by the Japan Epidemiological Association.
author2 Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University
author_facet Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University
Sam Ang Seubsman
Lynette L.Y. Lim
Cathy Banwell
Nintita Sripaiboonkit
Matthew Kelly
Christopher Bain
Adrian C. Sleigh
format Article
author Sam Ang Seubsman
Lynette L.Y. Lim
Cathy Banwell
Nintita Sripaiboonkit
Matthew Kelly
Christopher Bain
Adrian C. Sleigh
author_sort Sam Ang Seubsman
title Socioeconomic status, sex, and obesity in a large national cohort of 15-87-year-old Open University students in Thailand
title_short Socioeconomic status, sex, and obesity in a large national cohort of 15-87-year-old Open University students in Thailand
title_full Socioeconomic status, sex, and obesity in a large national cohort of 15-87-year-old Open University students in Thailand
title_fullStr Socioeconomic status, sex, and obesity in a large national cohort of 15-87-year-old Open University students in Thailand
title_full_unstemmed Socioeconomic status, sex, and obesity in a large national cohort of 15-87-year-old Open University students in Thailand
title_sort socioeconomic status, sex, and obesity in a large national cohort of 15-87-year-old open university students in thailand
publishDate 2018
url https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/29873
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