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Body Mass Index and Poor Self-Rated Health in 49 Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries, By Sex, 2002–2004
BRIEF — Volume 12 — August 20, 2015
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Figure. Sex-specific associations between body mass index (BMI) and poor self-rated health in 49 low- and middle-income countries. Data were obtained from multilevel multivariable adjusted regression analysis of the World Health Survey, 2002–2004 (N = 160,099). The model was adjusted for age, age-squared, marital status, urbanicity, educational attainment, smoking status, alcohol use, and national gross domestic product per capita.
| Body Mass Index, kg/m2 | Men (95% Confidence Interval) | Women (95% Confidence Interval) |
|---|---|---|
| Low-income countries | ||
| Underweight (<18.5) | 1.92 (1.69–2.17) | 1.42 (1.27–1.58) |
| Normal (18.5–24.9) | 1 (Reference) | 1 (Reference) |
| Overweight (25.0–29.9) | 0.86 (0.74–0.99) | 0.78 (0.69–0.88) |
| Obese I (30.0–34.9) | 1.05 (0.78–1.41) | 1.20 (0.99–1.44) |
| Obese II and III (≥35.0) | 1.49 (1.16–1.91) | 1.41 (1.16–1.72) |
| Middle-income countries | ||
| Underweight (<18.5) | 1.76 (1.49–2.08) | 1.39 (1.22–1.60) |
| Normal (18.5–24.9) | 1 (Reference) | 1 (Reference) |
| Overweight (25.0–29.9) | 0.89 (0.80–0.98) | 1.12 (1.03–1.21) |
| Obese I (30.0–34.9) | 1.12 (0.95–1.31) | 1.39 (1.25–1.54) |
| Obese II and III (≥35.0) | 1.62 (1.32–1.99) | 1.88 (1.65–2.14) |
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