Health Conditions Associated with Overweight in Climacteric Women

AbstractThis study aims to investigate the association between health conditions and overweight in climacteric women assisted by primary care professionals. It is a cross-sectional study conducted with 874 women from 40 to 65 years of age, selected by probabilistic sampling between August 2014 and August 2015. In addition to the outcome variable, other variables such as overweight/obesity, sociodemographic, reproductive, clinical, eating and behavioural factors were evaluated. Descriptive analyses of the variables investigated through their frequency distributions were performed. Then, bivariate analyses were performed through Poisson regression. For the multiple analyses, the hierarchical Poisson regression was used to identify factors associated with overweight/obesity in the climacteric period. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 74%. Attending public school (PR: 1.30 - 95% CI 1.14 - 1.50), low schooling (PR: 1.11 - 95% CI 1.01 - 1.23), gout (PR: 1.18 - 95% CI 1.16-1.44), kidney disease (PR: 1.18 - 95% CI 1.05 - 1.32), metabolic syndrome - MS (PR: 1.19 - 95% CI 1.05 - 1.34) and fat intake (PR: 1.12 - 95% CI 1.02 - 1.23) were considered risk factors for overweight. Having the first birth after 18 years (PR: 0.89 - 95% CI 0.82 to 0.97) was shown to be a protective factor for overweight and obesity. The presence of overweight and obesity is associated with socio-demographic, reproductive, clinical and eating habits.