Introduction: The knowledge about obesity pathogenesis is insufficient. The aim of our study was to investigate environmental and individual determinants of obesity in population of PURE study from Lower Silesia.
Material and methods: This was a cross sectional observation of 1064 inhabitants of Wroclaw and neighbouring rural area (671 women, 393 men), who took part in PURE study in years 2007-2010. Each participant answered PURE questionnaire and International Physical Activity Questionnaire providing information about obesity risk factors. Anthropometric measurements were collected, blood samples were taken for assessment of FTO gene polymorphism. A stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the most significant predictors of obesity.
Results: 31% of the study group had obesity (BMI over 30 kg/m², no difference between men and women), overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m²) affected 48.1% of men and 36.7% of women. Determinants of obesity in female group were: rural inhabitancy, chronic medication, unemployment, age, sedentary leisure time activity, non-smoking, hypertension in family, family related stress (p = 0.66 in the Hosmer-Lemeshow test). Determinants of obesity in male group were rural inhabitancy, chronic medication, family related stress, diabetes in family (p = 0.27 in the Hosmer-Lemeshow test). Risk factors for central obesity were similar, however in women oral contraception and physical activity were associated with lower obesity risk.
Conclusions: Environmental factors, especially rural inhabitancy and family related stress were associated with higher obesity risk in our study. Employment, smoking, physical activity and use of oral contraception seemed to have protective role in women.
Keywords: environmental; obesity; risk factors; rural; urban.