Abstract
BackgroundThe role of obesity in the prevalence and clustering of multimorbidity, the occurrence of two or more chronic conditions, is understudied. We estimated the prevalence of multimorbidity by obesity status, and the interaction of obesity with other predictors of multimorbidity.MethodsData from adult respondents (18 years and over) to the Health Quality Council of Alberta 2012 Patient Experience Survey were analyzed. Multivariable regression models were fitted to test for associations.ResultsThe survey sample included 4803 respondents; 55.8% were female and the mean age was 47.8 years (SD, 17.1). The majority (62.0%) of respondents reported having at least one chronic condition. The prevalence of multimorbidity, including obesity, was 36.0% (95% CI, 34.8 – 37.3). The prevalence of obesity alone was 28.1% (95% CI 26.6 – 29.5). Having obesity was associated with more than double the odds of multimorbidity (odds ratio = 2.2, 95% CI 1.9 – 2.7) compared to non-obese.ConclusionsThe prevalence of multimorbidity in the general population is high, but even higher in obese than non-obese persons. These findings may be relevant for surveillance, prevention and management strategies for multimorbidity.
Highlights
The role of obesity in the prevalence and clustering of multimorbidity, the occurrence of two or more chronic conditions, is understudied
The clustering of multimorbidity by obesity status and other predictors was evaluated in a sample of the general adult population of Alberta, Canada
Data were available from the Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA) 2012 Patient Experience Survey [15]
Summary
The role of obesity in the prevalence and clustering of multimorbidity, the occurrence of two or more chronic conditions, is understudied. Multimorbidity, the concurrent occurrence of two or more chronic conditions [1], is an emerging issue in public health agenda because of its increasing prevalence [2,3], impact on individual health status, and the economic impact on the health care system. Estimates of the prevalence of multimorbidity vary from 17% to over 90% [1,8,9,10]. The aim of this study was firstly to evaluate the prevalence of multimorbidity based on a list of 16 chronic conditions. The clustering of multimorbidity by obesity status and other predictors was evaluated in a sample of the general adult population of Alberta, Canada.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have