Obesity indices and their interrelationships when applied to workers

Using results of periodic health examinations of middle or small size establishments in Kitakyushu-City conducted by an occupational health service from April to September in 1982, the relationships among ten obesity indices of 30-59 years old male workers (27,376 persons) were investigated classified by age groups (30-39, 40-49 and 50-59 age groups) and by occupations (total occupation, field workers and office workers). Obesity indices adopted here are those derived from weight and height and are used mostly in Japan. Though the means of obesity values were various, the means in the 40-49 age group were higher than those in other age groups through all the indices and all the occupations. And those for office workers were higher than those for field workers through all the indices and all the age groups. The percentage of workers whose obesity values were 20+ in the Minowa index was about 14% and this percentage was attained almost by 20+ in the Katsura and the Kato indices, by 15+ in the NK, the Matsuya, the Matsuki and the CN indices, by 5+ in the Broca index, by 25+ in the Quetelet index and by 156+ in the Rohrer index. Though the percentage of hypertensive office workers was higher than that of hypertensive field workers in the 40-49 age group, proportion adjusted by any obesity index was similar and there were scarcely any differences of adjusted proportions between office workers and field workers.