Socio-Demographic factors put rural women at higher risk of obesity
Living in rural areas does not of itself put socio-economically disadvantaged rural women and children at higher risk of overweight and obesity, according to the authors of a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Rather, higher levels of obesity among women in rural areas may be attributed to individual-level socio-demographic characteristics more common in this group, such as higher age, lower levels of education, being Australian-born, being married and having more children, the study suggests.
Dr Verity Cleland, from the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research at Deakin University, Melbourne, and her co-authors compared the weight status of women of childbearing age and their children living in socio-economically disadvantaged rural and urban areas of Victoria.
In preliminary analyses, their study found that women living in rural areas had significantly lower odds of being underweight and higher odds of being obese Class I (body mass index 30.0-34.9 kg/m2) or Class II (BMI 35.0-39.9 kg/m2) compared with women living in urban areas. However, these associations were not significant when adjusted for age, number of children, country of birth, education, employment and marital status.
The study also found that there were no significant differences between urban and rural children in BMI or weight status.
Dr Cleland said that earlier studies had shown higher levels of overweight and obesity among adults in rural areas, but it was unclear whether these were attributable to compositional effects (eg, rural residents having a higher risk of socio-economic disadvantage) or contextual effects (eg, rural residents having different social norms relating to body weight, or poorer access to healthy foods or physical activity facilities).
“Further research could examine whether living in rural areas also has an impact on behavioural risk factors for obesity, such as poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyle,” Dr Cleland said. “We at Deakin are currently investigating these very issues”.
The study has been one of few to explore urban-rural comparisons among Australian women and children, particularly those living in socio-economically disadvantaged areas.
“Despite their heightened risk of having poor health, rural women and children remain significantly understudied population groups”, Dr Cleland said.
The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association.
The statements or opinions that are expressed in the MJA reflect the views of the authors and do not represent the official policy of the AMA unless that is so stated.
CONTACT:
Dr Verity Cleland 03 9251 7244