Related factors with Women's Body Mass Index (BMI) in Isfahan

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Today prevalence of overweigh and obesity is increasing in most parts of the world. Obesity plays an
important role in creating health poverty in women and decreasing life span. The most common formula to assess
physical health is body mass index (BMI). The present research was conducted to determine related factors (personal
and reproductive characteristics) with women's BMI.
METHODS: This was a descriptive–analytic study in which data were collected cross-sectional. The samples were 384
people in Isfahan. They were selected by cluster sampling and referred to 10 health centers in the city. In this research,
the evaluation instruments were a questionnaire and the tools of measuring height and weight which were standard and
unique. Collected data were analyzed by SPSS software and descriptive-analytic statistical methods.
RESULTS: The results showed that there was significant statistical relation between age, education level, family economic
situation, menarche age, the number of pregnancies and deliveries, OCP (LD) use of LO contraceptives and history
of deliveries with less than two years interval and BMI (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Acquainting the women with the related factors with BMI (Age, menarche age, etc), creating a situation
for women to continue their education in different levels, training the women to limit pregnancy and delivery numbers
and preventing deliveries with less than a two-year interval through mass media can be helpful to prevent overweight
and obesity in women.
KEY WORDS: Body mass index, factors associated with BMI, obesity, overweight