Explaining the Inverse Association between Altitude and Obesity
Table 4
Adjusted estimates of % adult obese in 2016 according to categories of altitude, counties in the contiguous U.S.
Adjusted for
% adult physical inactivity
% adult smokers
All variables
Mean (%)
Mean (%)
Mean (%)
Mean (%)
<500 meters
33.66
Referent
33.37
Referent
33.34
Referent
33.35
Referent
500–999 meters
31.91
−5.18%
32.03
−4.01%
32.53
−2.43%
32.06
−3.87%
1,000–1,499 meters
30.40
−9.69%
31.45
−5.75%
31.62
−5.15%
31.47
−5.64%
1,500–1,999 meters
28.01
−16.77%
30.35
−9.06%
29.88
−10.38%
30.67
−8.03%
2,000–2,499 meters
25.53
−24.14%
28.68
−14.07%
27.73
−16.83%
29.55
−11.41%
2,500 meters
21.78
−35.28%
26.50
−20.60%
24.16
−27.55%
27.50
−17.54%
F value
78.56
34.03
42.00
11.09
Pr > F
<0.0001
<0.0001
<0.0001
<0.0001
Average maximum air temperature and precipitation and average fine particulate matter, % female, % non-Hispanic white, % black, % Hispanic, % rural, % some college, median household income, % food insecure, Food Environment Index, % smokers, and % physically inactive.
