Abstract
BackgroundOverweight and obesity are considered a serious health problem. There are little data on the prevalence of overweight and obesity among the Yi ethnic group in China. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiologic features of overweight/obesity among Chinese Yi nationality.MethodsA cross-sectional study, including 1255 subjects aged 20-75 years, was carried out in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan province from 2007 to 2008. Overweight/overall obesity was defined by World Health Organization (WHO) or the Working Group on Obesity in China.ResultsOverall, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 19.0% and 2.9%, respectively, based on the WHO definition, while it was 21.0% and 7.4%, respectively, according to the Working Group on Obesity in China, which is similar to data reported in the 2002 Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey. Urban residents had a significantly higher prevalence of obesity (WHO criteria: 4.3% vs 1.7% p = 0.008; China criteria: 11.4% vs 3.7%, p < 0.001) and overweight (WHO criteria: 28.9% vs 8.9% p < 0.001; China criteria: 31.2% vs 10.4%, p < 0.001) than that in rural residents. Older age, a family history of obesity, higher income, drinking and urban residence were significantly associated with an increased risk of overweight/obesity.ConclusionsThe prevalence of overweight/obesity in the Yi nationality is similar to that in Chinese adults 5 years ago. However, urban residents have a much higher prevalence of overweight/obesity than their rural counterparts. Lifestyle and diet patterns associated with socioeconomic status may explain the difference between urban and rural residents. The prevention of overweight/obesity among urban inhabitants deserves more attention in national health education programs.
Highlights
Overweight and obesity are considered a serious health problem
Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture within Sichuan province in southwestern China, of which a brief introduction is given in additional file 1, contains the largest Yi community in China
Urban residents were more likely to participate in leisure-time physical activity and less likely to smoke cigarettes than rural residents
Summary
There are little data on the prevalence of overweight and obesity among the Yi ethnic group in China. Several studies have shown that the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing to epidemic proportions at an alarming rate in the Chinese population [2,3]. This upsurge in obesity propels the growing prevalence of hypertension and type 2 diabetes, which substantially exacerbate the national economic burden [4]. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of overweight and obesity among the Yi nationality in an autonomous prefecture
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