Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Measured Weights in PEI Adults Reveal Higher Than Expected Obesity Rates

  • Published:
Canadian Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

The increasing prevalence of obesity and overweight in Canada is a significant health concern. Unfortunately, we know very little about the actual weight status and associated health risks in our population since most surveys use only selfreported body weights and heights and typically do not include a measure of body fat distribution. This paper summarizes the findings of the Prince Edward Island Nutrition Survey.

Methods

A random sample of 1,995 adults aged 18–74 were interviewed in their homes and weights, heights and waist circumference measurements were obtained. Relative health risks, population proportions and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated.

Results

Overall, almost one third of PEI adults are obese (BMI ≥≥30). This is almost double that reported in the 1995 National Population Health Survey using self-reported heights and weights. More women were classified as being very severely obese (Class III) than men, but for both men and women there appears to be a trend of increased mild obesity with age. Based on BMI and waist circumference, over one third of the population is considered to be at high to extremely high risk for health problems.

Conclusion

Self-reported height and weight data appear to result in significant underestimation of the problem of obesity. Given the serious health consequences associated with this condition, it is critical that measured heights and weights be collected in future population-based surveys to ensure that public health interventions are based on accurate prevalence data.

Résumé

Contexte

Le taux croissant d’obésité et d’embonpoint constaté au Canada est préoccupant. Malheureusement, nous en savons très peu sur la véritable catégorie de poids des Canadiens et Canadiennes et les risques connexes pour leur santé. En effet, pour la plupart des enquêtes, on n’a recours qu’à des données autodéclarées sur le poids et la taille qui n’incluent généralement pas de mesure de la distribution de la masse adipeuse. Le présent document résume les conclusions de l’enquête sur la nutrition à l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard. Méthode: Nous avons interviewé un échantillon aléatoire de 1 995 adultes âgés de 18 à 74 ans, à leur domicile, et mesuré leur poids, leur taille et leur tour de taille. Nous avons calculé les risques relatifs, les proportions de la population et les intervalles de confiance de 95 % correspondants.

Résultats

Globalement, près du tiers des adultes de l’Île sont obèses (IMC ≥≥30). C’est presque le double des résultats obtenus lors de l’Enquête nationale sur la santé de la population (1995), dont les données sur le poids et la taille étaient autodéclarées. Plus de femmes que d’hommes étaient considérées comme très gravement obèses, bien que, chez les deux sexes, il semble y avoir une tendance à une légère obésité avec l’âge. Lorsqu’on tient compte des mesures de l’IMC et du tour de taille, plus du tiers de la population est jugé à risque élevé ou extrêmement élevé de commencer à avoir des problèmes de santé.

Conclusions

Notre analyse suggère que l’utilisation de données autodéclarées sur la taille et le poids entraîne une importante sous-estimation du problème de l’obésité. Étant donné les graves conséquences sur la santé associées à l’obésité, il sera essentiel, dans le cadre des prochaines enquêtes auprès de la population, de mesurer la taille et le poids afin de nous assurer que les interventions en santé publique sont fondées sur des données exactes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. World Health Organization. Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic. Report of a WHO Consultation on Obesity. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Katzmarzyk, PT. The Canadian obesity epidemic, 1985–1998. CMAJ 2002;166(8):1039–40.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Raman, RP. Obesity and health risk. J Am Coll Nutr 2002;21(2):134S–139S.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Katzmarzyk P, Perusse L, Malina R, Bouchard C. Seven-year stability of indicators of obesity and adipose tissue distribution in the Canadian population. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;69:1123–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. National Institutes of Health. Clinical guidelines on the identification, evaluation and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, 1998. Available from: https://doi.org/www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/ obesity/ob_gdlns.htm.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Sarria A, Moreno LA, Garcia-Llop LA, Fleta J, Morellon MP, Bueno M. Body mass index, triceps skinfold and waist circumference in screening for adiposity in male children and adolescents. Acta Paediatr 2001;90:387–98.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Mansfield E, McPherson R, Koski K. Diet and waist-hip ratio: Important predictors of lipoprotein levels in sedentary and active young men with no evidence of cardiovascular disease. J Am Diet Assoc 1999;99:1373–79.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Perry AC, Miller PC, Allison MD, Jackson ML, Applegate E. Clinical predictability of the waistto- hip ratio in assessment of cardiovascular disease risk factors in overweight, premenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 1998;68:1022–27.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Seidell JC, Han TS, Feskens EJM, Lean, ME. Narrow hips and broad waist circumferences independently contribute to increased risk of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. J Intern Med 1997;242:401–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Reeder BA, Senthilselvan A, Despres JP, Angel A, Lieu L, Want H, et al. The association of cardiovascular risk factors with abdominal obesity in Canada. Canadian Heart Health Surveys Research Group. CMAJ 1997;157(suppl):S39- S45.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Janssen I, Katzmarzyk PT, Ross R. Body mass index, waist circumference and health risk. Evidence in support of current National Institutes of Health Guidelines. Arch Intern Med 2002;162:2074–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Health Canada. Canadian Guidelines for Body Weight Classification in Adults. Ottawa, Canada: Health Canada Publications Center, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Statistics Canada. National Population Health Survey 1996–1997. Available from: https://doi.org/www.statcan.ca/english/IPS/Data/ 82FOO68XIE.htm.

  14. Statistics Canada. Canadian Community Health Survey. 2003. Available from: https://doi.org/www.statcan.ca/english/concepts/health/cchsinfo.htm.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Institute. 1997 Physical Activity Monitor. 2003. Available from: https://doi.org/www.cflri.ca/cflri/pa/surveys/97survey/ 97survey.html.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Gray-Donald K, Jacobs-Starkey L, Johnson- Down L. Food habits of Canadians: Reduction in fat intake over a generation. Can J Public Health 2000;91(5):381–85.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kuczmarski RJ, Flegal, KM. Criteria for overweight in transition: Background and recommendations for the United States. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72:1074–81.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Taylor J, Van Til L, MacLellan D. PEI Nutrition Survey Report. Charlottetown, PEI: Document Publishing Centre, 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Lee RD, Nieman, DC. Nutritional Assessment, 3rd ed. Toronto, ON: Mosby, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Eltinge JL, Scribney, WM. Some basic concepts for design-based analysis of complex survey data. Stata Tech Bull 1996;31:3–6.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Bostrom G, Diderischen F. Socioeconomic differentials in misclassification of height, weight and body mass index based on questionnaire data. Int J Epidemiol 1997;26(4):860–66.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Nova Scotia Heart Health Program. Report of the Nova Scotia Nutrition Survey, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Santé Québec. Les Québécoises et les Québécoise–mangent-ils mieux? Rapport de l’Enquête Québécoise sur la nutrition 1990. Montréal: Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Gouvernement du Québec, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family and Nutritional Sciences, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PEI, C1A 4P3, Canada

    Debbie L. MacLellan MSc, RD & Jennifer P. Taylor PhD, RD

  2. Department of Health and Social Services, Government of PEI, Charlottetown, Canada

    Linda Van Til MSc & Lamont Sweet MD

Authors
  1. Debbie L. MacLellan MSc, RD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jennifer P. Taylor PhD, RD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Linda Van Til MSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Lamont Sweet MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Debbie L. MacLellan MSc, RD.

Additional information

Acknowledgements: This project was a federal-provincial collaboration, and funded jointly through the National Health Research and Development Program, the Health Protection Branch of Health Canada, and the Prince Edward Island Department of Health and Social Services.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

MacLellan, D.L., Taylor, J.P., Van Til, L. et al. Measured Weights in PEI Adults Reveal Higher Than Expected Obesity Rates. Can J Public Health 95, 174–178 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03403642

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03403642

Search

Navigation