Socio-demographic and geographical inequalities in the prevalence of overweight among adults in Kazakhstan: a population-based cross-sectional study

Tuesday, 19 August 2014
Exhibit hall (Dena'ina Center)
T Sharmanov, PhD , Kazakh National Medical University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Sh Tazhibayev , Kazakh Academy of Nutrition, Almaty, Kazakhstan
O Dolmatova, MD , Kazakh Academy of Nutrition, Almaty, Kazakhstan
A Sarsembayeva, MD , Kazakh Academy of Nutrition, Almaty, Kazakhstan
O Mukasheva, MD , Kazakh Academy of Nutrition, Almaty, Kazakhstan
A Yergaliyeva, MD , Kazakh Academy of Nutrition, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Andrej M Grjibovski, PhD , Northern State Medical University, Arkhangelsk, Russia
T Khaibullin , Semey State Medical University, Semey, Kazakhstan
INTRODUCTION:  The prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing in developing countries becoming a considerable public health problem. However, no studies on this topic from the former Soviet Republics of the Central Asia have been published internationally. We aimed at studying the prevalence and correlates of overweight in Kazakhstani adult population of working age.

METHODS:  A cross-sectional population-based study. A random sample of 3,016 individuals aged 18-64 years was drawn from all regions of the country. Height and weight of respondents were measured. Overweight (including obesity) was classified as BMI ≥25 kg/m3. Data on socio-demographic and dietary factors were collected by interviews.  Associations between overweight and independent variables were studied using multivariable logistic regression. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.

RESULTS:  The prevalence of overweight was 55.2% (95%CI: 53.4-57.0).  Women were more likely to be overweight (OR=1.18, 95%CI: 1.01-1.37) than men. The odds for overweight progressively increased with age: OR=3.0, 95%CI: 2.42-4.5 for the 25-34 year-olds, OR=6.66, 95%CI: 4.95-8.98 for the 35-49 years-old and OR=11.7, 95%CI: 8.62-15.89 for the 50-64 year-olds compared to the youngest adults. Russians had greater odds for overweight (OR=1.27, 95%CI: 1.06-1.53 then Kazakhs. Rural residents had higher prevalence of overweight than their urban counterparts (OR=1.35, 95%CI: 1.17-1.56). Living in North Kazakhstan (OR=1.44, 95%CI: 1.11-1.86), and West Kazakhstan (OR=1.53, 95%CI: 1.2-1.95) was associated with overweight. Blue collar workers had greater odds of being overweight than while-collar workers (OR=1.3, 95%CI: 1.07-1.58). Low leisure-time physical activity (OR=1.23, 95%CI: 1.07-1.43) and daily consumption of < 400 gram of fruits and vegetables (OR=1.26, 95%CI: 1.08-1.47) were also associated with overweight.

CONCLUSIONS:  More than a half of the working age population of Kazakhstan is overweight with considerable gender-, socio-demographic-, ethnic- and geographic variations even after adjustment for physical activity and dietary habits.

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