Obesity indices and their interrelationships when applied to workers.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Public Health
• Biostatistics

Background:

• Periodic health examinations are crucial for monitoring worker health in occupational settings.
• Obesity is a significant health concern with various measurement indices.
• Understanding obesity prevalence across different age groups and occupations is vital for targeted health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationships among ten different obesity indices in male workers.
• To analyze obesity prevalence based on age groups (30-59 years) and occupations (field vs. office workers).
• To explore the association between obesity indices and hypertension prevalence.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from periodic health examinations of 27,376 male workers (30-59 years) in Kitakyushu City (1982).
• Classified workers by age groups (30-39, 40-49, 50-59) and occupation (total, field, office).
• Analyzed ten obesity indices derived from weight and height, comparing means and prevalence rates.

Main Results:

• The 40-49 age group exhibited higher mean obesity values across all indices and occupations compared to other age groups.
• Office workers consistently showed higher obesity levels than field workers across all age groups and indices.
• Obesity prevalence varied significantly by index; for example, Minowa index (20+), Quetelet index (25+), and Rohrer index (156+).

Conclusions:

• Age and occupation are significant determinants of obesity prevalence in male workers.
• Office workers and those in the 40-49 age bracket represent key demographics for obesity-related health interventions.
• While hypertension prevalence differed between office and field workers, adjusted proportions by obesity indices showed minimal differences.