Explaining the Inverse Association between Altitude and Obesity
Table 2
Estimated mean and percent difference from the referent group for selected variables by altitude.
Variable
Altitude <500 meters
Altitude 500–999 meters
Altitude 1,000–1,499 meters
Altitude 1,500–1,999 meters
Altitude 2,000–2,499 meters
Altitude ≥2,500 meters
N = 2412
N = 367
N = 169
N = 88
N = 47
N = 23
% adult obese
Referent
−1.74
−3.26
−5.64
−8.12
−11.87
Referent
−5.18%
−9.69%
−16.77%
−24.14%
−35.28%
A
B
B
C
D
E
Avg daily sunlight (kJ/m2)
Referent
148.12
964.99
982.50
1454.25
984.90
Referent
0.91%
5.93%
6.04%
8.94%
6.05%
A
A
B
B
B
B
Average daily max air temperature (F)
Referent
−2.40
−3.75
−9.93
−13.08
−20.25
Referent
−3.61%
−5.64%
−14.93%
−19.66%
−30.46%
A
A
B
C
D
E
Average PM2.5 (μg/m3)
Referent
−2.28
−3.17
−3.58
−4.47
−5.37
Referent
−23.60%
−32.78%
−37.04%
−46.19%
−55.54%
A
B
C
C
D
E
Average daily precipitation (mm)
Referent
−1.04
−1.71
−1.87
−1.79
−1.50
Referent
−34.16%
−56.44%
−61.85%
−58.90%
−49.51%
A
B
C, D
D
D
C
% female
Referent
−0.84
−0.96
−1.52
−1.41
−2.45
Referent
−1.68%
−1.91%
−3.04%
−2.82%
−4.88%
A
B
B
B
B
C
% non-Hispanic white
Referent
3.25
−5.31
−0.12
−6.64
2.07
Referent
4.26%
−6.96%
−0.16%
−8.70%
2.71%
A
A
B
A
B
A
% black
Referent
−9.52
−9.89
−9.98
−10.50
−10.54
Referent
−84.59%
−87.91%
−88.66%
−93.31%
−93.63%
A
B
B
B
B
B
% Hispanic
Referent
4.66
13.98
7.67
13.20
9.21
Referent
59.03%
177.09%
97.15%
167.16%
116.69%
A
B
C
B
C
B, C
% rural
Referent
16.30
3.95
-0.19
5.94
20.36
Referent
29.03%
7.03%
-0.34%
10.58%
36.26%
A
B
A
A
A
B
% some college
Referent
9.43
8.15
9.21
5.59
5.06
Referent
2.23%
0.38%
6.67%
7.59%
16.40%
A
B
B
B
B
B
Median household income
Referent
−3019.97
−2993.77
4586.60
4366.45
8536.84
Referent
−5.71%
−5.66%
8.67%
8.25%
16.13%
A
A, B
A, B
A, C, D
A, C, D
D
% food insecure
Referent
−1.64
−1.10
−0.99
−0.55
−2.99
Referent
−12.07%
−8.12%
−7.30%
−4.06%
−21.96%
A
A
A
A
A
B
% limited access to healthy foods
Referent
5.78
6.34
5.33
6.54
3.93
Referent
79.83%
87.45%
73.64%
90.31%
54.24%
A
B
B
B
B
B
Food Environment Index
Referent
−0.20
−0.35
−0.30
−0.49
0.24
Referent
−2.63%
−4.66%
−3.93%
−6.51%
3.16%
A, B
A, B
A
A
A
B
% adult smokers
Referent
−1.37
−2.27
−3.21
−3.69
−3.95
Referent
−7.65%
−12.65%
−17.93%
−20.62%
−22.05%
A
B
B, C
C, D
D
D
% adult physical inactive
Referent
−0.83
−2.77
−5.41
−7.08
−10.32
Referent
−2.97%
−9.87%
−19.29%
−25.24%
−36.78%
A
A
B
C
C
D
Note. Mean percent difference scores are compared among groups using Student–Newman–Keuls’ (SNK) multiple-range test. Corresponding to the SNK test are capital letters, which identify whether significant differences exist in the estimates across the levels of altitude. There is a significant difference in means between groups if the letters differ. For example, with % adult obesity, the mean percent difference scores between the first and second altitude groups are significant, but there is no difference in mean percent difference scores between the second and third altitude groups.
