Obesity has become a major public health problem in all western countries, and its prevalence is increasing. This condition is associated with a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary heart disease; furthermore, obesity is a risk factor for mortality.
To study the association of some prevalent diseases (diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease, obesity, hypertension, inflammatory rheumatic disease, urolithiasis), the distribution of some lifestyle factors (tobacco, alcohol and caffeine consumption and physical activity during leisure time) and the prevalence of poverty in a population of postmenopausal women in the Canary Islands with obesity class II or III (BMI>35).
A personal interview was performed in all patients. A questionnaire was administered to assess their lifestyles and current medication use. The women's medical records were reviewed to confirm the existence of certain diseases. A complete physical examination was performed in all patients. Weight and height were measured with the patient dressed in light clothing. Blood samples were obtained with the patient in a fasting state for subsequent analysis. Poverty was defined according to the criteria of the Spanish National Institute of Statistics.
Women with obesity class II or III were older (56.8+/-11 vs 53.9+/-11.6 years, p=0.02), shorter (153.7+/-6.3 vs 156.9+/-36.1 cm, p=0.001), heavier (89.6+/-9.3 vs 66.6+/-10.4 kg, p=0.001) and had a greater body surface than controls (1.73+/-0.13 vs 1.54+/-0.13 m2, p=0.001). Alcohol and tobacco consumption were lower in obese women than in controls. Obese women drank more coffee and took less physical activity during leisure time than controls. The prevalence of hypertension -36% vs 17.9%, p=0.001, odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval (IC)]=2.57 (1.56-4.24)-, diabetes mellitus -24.4% vs 11.3%, p=0.001, OR=2.52 (1.47-1.05)-and hypothyroidism -14.3% vs 8%, p=0.04; OR=1.91 (0.99-3.68)-was higher in obese women than in controls. More than half lived in rural areas and were below the poverty threshold.
More than half of postmenopausal women with obesity class II or III were below the poverty threshold and lived in a rural area. In these women there was a lower consumption of alcohol and tobacco, lesser physical activity during leisure time, and a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hypothyroidism than in control postmenopausal women.