Zeitschrift für Adipositas- und Gewichtsverlusttherapie

Abstrakt

Anemia in Relation to Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference among Andhra Pradesh Women

Hemamalini J

This study is aimed to investigate into the relationship of anemia and body mass index among adult women in Guntur and Krishna districts, Andhra Pradesh, India. Data are collected in a sub-national cross-sectional survey, and 1,537 women aged 20-30 years are included in the analyses. According to Body Mass Index (BMI), the subjects are categorized as underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese according to WHO standard. Central obesity is defined as a waist circumference ≥ 80 cm. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin concentration <12 g/dl. Prevalence ratios (PRs) of the relationship between anemia and BMI or waist circumference were calculated using Poisson regression. Overall, 31.1% of the Andhra Pradesh women were anemic. The prevalence of overweight, obesity and central obesity is in the order of 34.2%, 5.8% and 36.2%, respectively. The obese group had the highest concentrations of hemoglobin compared with other BMI groups. After adjustment for confounders, overweight and obese women had a lower PR for anemia. Central obesity was inversely associated with anemia. In this population, women with overweight/obesity or central obesity were less likely to be anemic as compared to normal weight women. However no measures are required currently to target anemia specifically for overweight and obese people of Krishna & Guntur Districts in Andhra Pradesh.