Journal
AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Volume 35, Issue 3, Pages 284-291Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2010.00705.x
Keywords
weight control; weight change; body mass index; education
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Funding
- National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) [233200]
- Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
- Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd
- Alphapharm Pty Ltd
- AstraZeneca
- Bristol-Myers Squibb
- City Health Centre-Diabetes Service-Canberra
- Department of Health and Community Services - Northern Territory
- Department of Health and Human Services - Tasmania
- Department of Health - New South Wales
- Department of Health - Western Australia
- Department of Health - South Australia
- Department of Human Services - Victoria
- Diabetes Australia
- Diabetes Australia Northern Territory
- Eli Lilly Australia
- Estate of the Late Edward Wilson
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Jack Brockhoff Foundation
- Janssen-Cilag
- Kidney Health Australia
- Marian FH Flack Trust
- Menzies Research Institute
- Merck Sharp Dohme
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals
- Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals
- Pfizer Pty Ltd
- Pratt Foundation
- Queensland Health
- Roche Diagnostics Australia
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney
- Sanofi Aventis
- Sanofi Synthelabo
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Objectives: To examine education differences in five-year weight change among mid-aged adults, and to ascertain if this may be due to socioeconomic differences in perceived weight status or weight control behaviours (WCBs). Methods: Data were used from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study. Mid-aged men and women with measured weights at both baseline (1999-2000) and follow-up (2004-2005) were included. Percent weight change over the five-year interval was calculated and perceived weight status, WCBs and highest attained education were collected at baseline. Results: Low-educated men and women were more likely to be obese at baseline compared to their high-educated counterparts. Women with a certificate-level education had a greater five-year weight gain than those with a bachelor degree or higher. Perceived weight status or WCBs did not differ by education among men and women, however participants that perceived themselves as very overweight had less weight gain than those perceiving themselves as underweight or normal weight. WCBs were not associated with five-year weight change. Conclusions and Implications: The higher prevalence of overweight/obesity among low-educated women may be a consequence of greater weight gain in mid-adulthood. Education inequalities in overweight/obesity among men and women made be due (in part) to overweight or obese individuals in low-educated groups not perceiving themselves as having a weight problem.
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