Obesity and central obesity in elderly people in Latin America and the Caribbean—Are we fat?

Purpose The objective of this work is to estimate and to compare the anthropometric measures with particular attention to those related to obesity and central obesity in elderly individuals in six countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Methods Data come from SABE (Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento en América Latina y el Caribe Proyecto) which is a multicenter survey that investigates the health and well being of noninstitutionalized population of older people in principal urban areas of Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico and Uruguay. Information was collected through personal interviews using a structured questionnaire, followed by physical examination to measure anthropometric characteristics. Statistical software program STATA version 8.0 SE was utilized for the analyses. Age and gender specific means and standard deviations were computed and compared across sites. Analysis of variance was performed. For multiple comparison tests, Bonferroni tests were used. Linear regression analysis was used to examine age trends. Results Levels of obesity are so high in this region that women in these countries are usually fatter than their counterparts in the United States. Elders from Uruguay have the highest obesity rate followed by those from Chile and Mexico. Elderly men and women from Cuba have the lowest average weight and the lowest prevalence of obesity. In terms of central obesity, Brazilians, Chileans and Mexicans have highest values of waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, which implies that elderly in these countries are at higher risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Men are taller than women and heavier as well (Barbados is an exception), but average body mass index is higher among women (p < 0.0001). Height tends to decline with age and this may be associated with historical trends and aging itself. There are also considerable declines in weight with age. Conclusion Current levels of obesity among elderly require changes in lifestyle, diets, and increase in physical activity, but in many cases professional help is necessary to reduce body weight.