Open AccessChange in women's body mass index and waist circumference, 1997 to 2002: The Nepean Study
Author(s) -
Shrewsbury Vanessa A.,
Garnett Sarah P.,
Cowell Christopher T.,
Crawford David,
Baur Louise A.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 1326-0200
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-842x.2005.tb00071.x
Subject(s) - waist , body mass index , circumference , anthropometry , medicine , socioeconomic status , demography , gerontology , environmental health , population , geometry , mathematics , sociology
Objective: To investigate character istics associated with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference stability over a five‐year period in women with school‐age children. Methods: Women with 7–8 year‐old children from western Sydney, Australia, had anthropometric measures taken in 1996/97 (n====436) and five years later (n=327). Socio‐demographic characteristics examined at baseline included age, socioeconomic status, smoking, and number of children. Results: Over five years, less than half of the women maintained a stable BMI (38.8%) or waist circumference (31.5%), with the majority gaining in both indicators of adiposity. BMI and socio‐demographic characteristics were not predictive of BMI or waist circumference stability or decrease. Conclusions and Implications: Total and abdominal adiposity increased in these Australian women who have children. The results support the need to develop effective weight gain prevention initiatives.