Abstract
Method
Study population comprised 3,995 Finnish men and women aged 25 to 64 years who participated in a cross-sectional, population-based
FINRISK 2002 Study. Participants’ height and weight were measured to calculate BMI. Self-administered questionnaire assessed
education, household income, leisure time physical activity, sitting behaviour, dietary habits, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
Structural equation modelling with latent variables was applied to estimate age-adjusted direct and indirect associations
between variables.
FINRISK 2002 Study. Participants’ height and weight were measured to calculate BMI. Self-administered questionnaire assessed
education, household income, leisure time physical activity, sitting behaviour, dietary habits, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
Structural equation modelling with latent variables was applied to estimate age-adjusted direct and indirect associations
between variables.
Conclusions
The strongest indirect associations between socioeconomic position and BMI were mediated through variables related to energy
balance, i.e. diet and sedentariness. To reduce the socioeconomic variation in overweight and obesity, the main focus should
be on food and sedentary behaviours while also taking into account the gender differences and clustering of unhealthy behaviours.
balance, i.e. diet and sedentariness. To reduce the socioeconomic variation in overweight and obesity, the main focus should
be on food and sedentary behaviours while also taking into account the gender differences and clustering of unhealthy behaviours.
- Content Type Journal Article
- DOI 10.1007/s12529-010-9138-1
- Authors
- Katja Borodulin, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 30, FI-00271 Helsinki, Finland
- Catherine Zimmer, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, Campus Box 3355, Chapel Hill, 27599-3355 NC USA
- Risto Sippola, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 30, FI-00271 Helsinki, Finland
- Tomi E. Mäkinen, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 30, FI-00271 Helsinki, Finland
- Tiina Laatikainen, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 30, FI-00271 Helsinki, Finland
- Ritva Prättälä, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 30, FI-00271 Helsinki, Finland
- Journal International Journal of Behavioral Medicine
- Online ISSN 1532-7558
- Print ISSN 1070-5503