Using Correction Equations Based on Measured Height and Weight Weakens Associations between Obesity Based on Self-Reports and Chronic Diseases
Table 2
Adjusted odds ratiosa relating corrected and self-reported BMI to selected health conditions, household population aged 40 years or older, Atlantic Canada, 2007-2008.
BMI category (range kg/m2)
Based on self-reported BMI
Based on corrected BMI
Adjusted OR
95% CI
Adjusted OR
95% CI
Anxiety disorder
Underweight (<18.5)
1.83†
1.25, 2.68
1.90†
1.27, 2.84
Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9; ref)
1.00
—
1.00
—
Overweight (25.0 to 29.9)
1.12
0.88, 1.41
0.99
0.76, 1.28
Obese (30.0 or more)
1.47†
1.14, 1.90
1.51†
1.15, 1.98
BMI (continuous)
1.03‡
1.01, 1.05
1.03‡
1.01, 1.05
Arthritis
Underweight (<18.5)
1.24
0.99, 1.57
1.31*
1.02, 1.69
Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9; ref)
1.00
—
1.00
—
Overweight (25.0 to 29.9)
1.16
1.00, 1.34
1.11
0.94, 1.31
Obese (30.0 or more)
1.92§
1.64, 2.24
1.53, 2.15
BMI (continuous)
1.06§
1.04, 1.07
1.05§
1.04, 1.07
Asthma
Underweight (<18.5)
1.17
0.77, 1.79
1.11
0.70, 1.76
Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9; ref)
1.00
—
1.00
—
Overweight (25.0 to 29.9)
1.13
0.86, 1.48
0.95
0.69, 1.31
Obese (30.0 or more)
1.88§
1.40, 2.53
1.64†
1.19, 2.26
BMI (continuous)
1.05§
1.03, 1.06
1.04§
1.03, 1.06
Cancer
Underweight (<18.5)
1.61*
1.03, 2.53
1.60*
0.99, 2.57
Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9; ref)
1.00
—
1.00
—
Overweight (25.0 to 29.9)
1.19
0.86, 1.64
1.10
0.77, 1.59
Obese (30.0 or more)
1.29
0.89, 1.88
1.20
0.81, 1.78
BMI (continuous)
1.02
1.00, 1.05
1.02
1.00, 1.05
Cardiovascular disease
Underweight (<18.5)
2.03§
1.58, 2.60
2.26§
1.73, 2.95
Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9; ref)
1.00
—
1.00
—
Overweight (25.0 to 29.9)
1.99§
1.74, 2.29
1.80§
1.54, 2.10
Obese (30.0 or more)
4.86§
4.18, 5.64
4.52§
3.84, 5.32
BMI (continuous)
1.14§
1.12, 1.15
1.13§
1.12, 1.15
Chronic bronchitis
Underweight (<18.5)
1.17
0.61, 2.25
1.12
0.57, 2.20
Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9; ref)
1.00
—
1.00
—
Overweight (25.0 to 29.9)
0.99
0.61, 1.63
0.92
0.57, 1.51
Obese (30.0 or more)
1.69*
1.10, 2.61
1.58
0.96, 2.60
BMI (continuous)
1.04†
1.01, 1.07
1.04†
1.01, 1.07
Depression
Underweight (<18.5)
2.02§
1.42, 2.88
2.16§
1.46, 3.20
Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9; ref)
1.00
—
1.00
—
Overweight (25.0 to 29.9)
1.01
0.80, 1.28
1.06
0.81, 1.37
Obese (30.0 or more)
1.47†
1.15, 1.89
1.51†
1.15, 1.97
BMI (continuous)
1.03§
1.02, 1.05
1.03§
1.02, 1.05
Diabetes
Underweight (<18.5)
2.17§
1.62, 2.92
2.60§
1.89, 3.57
Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9; ref)
1.00
—
1.00
—
Overweight (25.0 to 29.9)
2.14§
1.72, 2.66
2.07§
1.63, 2.63
Obese (30.0 or more)
6.39§
5.22, 7.83
6.14§
4.91, 7.68
BMI (continuous)
1.15§
1.13, 1.17
1.14§
1.12, 1.16
Heart disease
Underweight (<18.5)
1.54†
1.11, 2.15
1.71†
1.20, 2.42
Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9; ref)
1.00
—
1.00
—
Overweight (25.0 to 29.9)
1.19
0.97, 1.47
1.25
1.00, 1.57
Obese (30.0 or more)
1.92§
1.55, 2.39
1.96§
1.58, 2.43
BMI (continuous)
1.06§
1.04, 1.07
1.06§
1.04, 1.07
High blood pressure
Underweight (<18.5)
1.88§
1.49, 2.38
2.12§
1.65, 2.72
Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9; ref)
1.00
—
1.00
—
Overweight (25.0 to 29.9)
1.97§
1.70, 2.27
1.85§
1.57, 2.18
Obese (30.0 or more)
4.30§
3.69, 5.01
4.08§
3.45, 4.83
BMI (continuous)
1.11§
1.10, 1.13
1.11§
1.09, 1.13
Pain and discomfort
Underweight (<18.5)
1.03
0.74, 1.44
1.14
0.80, 1.63
Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9; ref)
1.00
—
1.00
—
Overweight (25.0 to 29.9)
1.21
0.99, 1.49
1.34†
1.08, 1.66
Obese (30.0 or more)
1.31*
1.05, 1.65
1.38†
1.09, 1.74
BMI (continuous)
1.02†
1.01, 1.04
1.02†
1.01, 1.04
Stroke
Underweight (<18.5)
2.80§
1.75, 4.51
3.08§
1.83, 5.17
Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9; ref)
1.00
—
1.00
—
Overweight (25.0 to 29.9)
0.90
0.58, 1.41
1.07
0.67, 1.71
Obese (30.0 or more)
1.76*
1.10, 2.81
1.48
0.90, 2.41
BMI (continuous)
1.05*
1.00, 1.09
1.05*
1.00, 1.09
Urinary incontinence
Underweight (<18.5)
1.85‡
1.31, 2.61
1.88‡
1.29, 2.73
Normal weight (18.5 to 24.9; ref)
1.00
—
1.00
—
Overweight (25.0 to 29.9)
1.05
0.83, 1.33
0.95
0.73, 1.25
Obese (30.0 or more)
1.74§
1.34, 2.26
1.54†
1.17, 2.02
BMI (continuous)
1.03§
1.02, 1.05
1.03§
1.02, 1.05
Data source: 2007-2008 Canadian Community Health Survey, Statistics Canada. Abbreviations: BMI: body mass index; CI: confidence intervals; OR: odds ratio; P: statistical significance; ref: reference; —: suppressed due to disclosure rules or not applicable.
aModels control for age (continuous) and sex.
*
; †; ‡; §.
