Material
& Methods: The Study Design
This cross-sectional descriptive study was held between January
and March 2001 in Edirne city, that is located at Bulgaria and
Greece border of Turkey and have a population of 110,000 inhabitants.
Study universe were 87,143 people aged 18-65 years living the
urban and central rural Edirne. 1936 subjects were selected by
multi-stage sampling method using the population reports of local
governmental health office for year 2000. Study universe were
divided into 57 leagues (45 urban, 12 rural) of known geographic
borders and population counts. All the leagues were accepted as
homogeneous. Subjects were selected by researchers coincidentally
from the leagues in numbers weighted to their population. Only
12 (0.6%) women subjects were omitted the study because they were
pregnant that could effect the anthropometrical measurements.
Data collection:
Two structured researchers collected data with face-to-face interviews
at home and work sites of subjects. Demographic features, socio-economic
statues (SES), important personal and family history data (especially
about DM), smoking habits and nicotine dependency, alcohol use
and dependency, frequency and intensity of regular physical exercises
and physical activity level (PAL) were interviewed with a structured
questionnaire in every subject. Subjects were categorized as smokers,
non-smokers, ex-smokers regarding their tobacco usage, and as
users and non-users regarding their alcohol usage. With a detailed
interview, PAL of subjects were divided into four activities groups,
labeled as levels L1 to L4 in increasing order. The first two
levels (L1 and L2) were accepted as sedentary life style [8]. |
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Anthropometric Measurements:
Every subject's height was measured in centimeters while the
participant stood still without shoes, and weight was measured
in kilograms while the participant stood without shoes and lightly
clothing. BMI was calculated as weight divided by square of
height (kg/m²). Waist circumference was measured in centimeters
at the midpoint between the button of the ribs and the top of
the iliac crest. Hip circumference was measured at the largest
posterior extension of the buttocks. Waist hip ratio was calculated
by dividing these two values with each other.
Subjects:
Subjects were categorized according to their BMI as the criteria
of WHO [1], as follows: a) Under Weight (<18.5 kg/m²)
b) Normal (18.50-24.9 kg/m²) c) Over Weight (25-29.9 kg/m²)
d) Obesity Stage I (30-34.9 kg/m²) e) Obesity Stage II
(35-39.9 kg/m²) f) Obesity Stage III (>40kg/m²).
WHR and WC were categorized according to relative cardiovascular
risk profiles as a) No risk b) Medium risk c) High risk.
Statistical Methods:
Many statistical methods including Pearson correlation test,
one-way ANOVA Tukey test, independent sample's t test, x-square
test, linear regression test were used to evaluate the data.
Variables associated with obesity (BMI=30 kg/m²) in univariate
tests were included in logistic regression model. The backwards
elimination method was used and odds ratios were calculated.
A significance level of 95% was accepted.
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