TY - JOUR
T1 - Weight height indices. Choice of the most suitable index and its association with selected variables among 10,000 adult males of heterogeneous origin
AU - Goldbourt, U.
AU - Medalie, J. H.
PY - 1974
Y1 - 1974
N2 - Weight/height2 (W/H2) was found to be the 'best' power type weight height index for men of all ages above 40 when examining the 10,000 Israeli civil servants. These were all men aged 40 and over from six major areas of birth in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Israel. This finding confirms other work done with widely different cultural groups. The association of this W/H2 index was examined in respect of several demographic and other socioeconomic variables. The major findings were as follows: W/H2 rises with age until 50 yr, then plateaus until 60, after which there appears to be a slight drop. Israeli born subjects showed the highest index and those born in the Middle East the lowest index. A general increase in the index occurred over the 5 yr of observation except at age 60 and over. Low values were associated with 'professionals' on the one hand, and 'labourers' and those with 'no schooling' on the other. Immigrants who came during or immediately after the second world war were the 'leanest' of all immigrants when examined about 20 years later. The previous finding that cigarette smokers (particularly medium and heavy smokers) showed a low value in comparison with exsmokers and those who had never smoked was confirmed. Exsmokers, particularly those who had previously smoked heavily, were more overweight than smokers and those who had never smoked. The findings suggest that exsmokers gain weight fairly rapidly and then gradually reduce to the weight of those who never smoked but not to that of smokers. In order to verify this finding, a followup of exsmokers is needed. Self reported physical activity was associated with a lower W/H2 index for smokers, and to a lesser extent for exsmokers, but did not seem to have an appreciable effect on those who had never smoked. Dietary variables as measured by the authors' questionnaire were not found to be associated with the W/H2 index.
AB - Weight/height2 (W/H2) was found to be the 'best' power type weight height index for men of all ages above 40 when examining the 10,000 Israeli civil servants. These were all men aged 40 and over from six major areas of birth in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Israel. This finding confirms other work done with widely different cultural groups. The association of this W/H2 index was examined in respect of several demographic and other socioeconomic variables. The major findings were as follows: W/H2 rises with age until 50 yr, then plateaus until 60, after which there appears to be a slight drop. Israeli born subjects showed the highest index and those born in the Middle East the lowest index. A general increase in the index occurred over the 5 yr of observation except at age 60 and over. Low values were associated with 'professionals' on the one hand, and 'labourers' and those with 'no schooling' on the other. Immigrants who came during or immediately after the second world war were the 'leanest' of all immigrants when examined about 20 years later. The previous finding that cigarette smokers (particularly medium and heavy smokers) showed a low value in comparison with exsmokers and those who had never smoked was confirmed. Exsmokers, particularly those who had previously smoked heavily, were more overweight than smokers and those who had never smoked. The findings suggest that exsmokers gain weight fairly rapidly and then gradually reduce to the weight of those who never smoked but not to that of smokers. In order to verify this finding, a followup of exsmokers is needed. Self reported physical activity was associated with a lower W/H2 index for smokers, and to a lesser extent for exsmokers, but did not seem to have an appreciable effect on those who had never smoked. Dietary variables as measured by the authors' questionnaire were not found to be associated with the W/H2 index.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0016248022&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/jech.28.2.116
DO - 10.1136/jech.28.2.116
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AN - SCOPUS:0016248022
SN - 0143-005X
VL - 28
SP - 116
EP - 126
JO - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
JF - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
IS - 2
ER -
