Prevalence of overweight, general and central obesity in elderly women from Curitiba, Parana, Brazil

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of general and central overweight and obesity in a representative sample of the population of elderly women living in Curitiba, Parana. Methods The experimental design of this study was observational, cross-sectional and descriptive. The variables body mass index and waist circumference were obtained to determine general and central overweight and obesity, respectively. Measurements of central tendency, variability, relative and absolute frequencies in each age group within the body mass index and waist circumference categories were verified. Results The sample consisted of 1069 women aged above 60 years (mean=69.5; standard deviation=6.1 years). In relation to body mass index, most of the subjects were classified as overweight (43.5%), followed by obese (34.0%) and normal (22.5%). On the other hand, obesity (45.1%) prevailed in relation to the categories for waist circumference, followed by overweight (33.1%) and normal (21.8%). Furthermore, general overweight and obesity decreased from the first to the last age group (-20.4% and -11.6%, respectively), while normal weight increased substantially (+75.3%). Similar results were verified in relation to central adiposity, where overweight and obesity decreased 14.3% and 8.3%, respectively. Conclusion An elevated prevalence of general and central overweight and obesity was verified among elderly women from Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, regardless of age. Public health programs that aim to prevent and reduce excess body fat by intervening on dietary intake patterns and energy expenditure by recommending regular physical activity are necessary for this population.