Determinants of Obesity in Colombia

Abstract

We examine the associations between Body Mass Index (C) and household socioeconomic conditions in Colombia, using data from the National Health and Demographics Survey of 2010. We found that years of schooling are inversely related to BMI and are associated with a lesser prevalence of overweight (25≤BMI<30) and obesity (BMI≥30), for both men and women. The prevalence of overweight and obesity (BMI≥25) was 47%. BMI was positively associated with one socioeconomic variable, the Household Wealth Index, and with two geographical variables, region and climate. Excess weight is a problem that deserves more attention in Colombia because of its future impact on the costs of public health.