Who is maintaining weight in a middle-aged population in Sweden? A longitudinal analysis over 10 years
2007

Weight Maintenance in Middle-Aged Swedes Over 10 Years

Sample size: 14867 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Nafziger Anne N, Lindvall Kristina, Norberg Margareta, Stenlund Hans, Wall Stig, Jenkins Paul L, Pearson Thomas A, Weinehall Lars

Primary Institution: Umeå University

Hypothesis

Who is not gaining weight during a 10 year period in Sweden?

Conclusion

Educational efforts should target younger individuals and those without health conditions, as they are least likely to maintain their body weight over a decade.

Supporting Evidence

  • Obesity prevalence increased from 9.4% in 1990 to 17.5% in 2004.
  • 35.3% of participants were categorized as non-gainers over 10 years.
  • Older age, being female, and lack of snuff use increased chances of not gaining weight.

Takeaway

This study looked at people in Sweden to see who could keep their weight the same or lose weight over 10 years. It found that younger and healthier people often gain weight.

Methodology

Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies were conducted on adults aged 30 to 60 during the Västerbotten Intervention Programme, collecting height, weight, demographics, and cardiovascular risk factors.

Potential Biases

Participants may not represent the general population due to differences in demographics and health status.

Limitations

Participation rates were not optimal, and participants were more likely to be older, women, and have lower education and BMI.

Participant Demographics

Adults aged 30, 40, and 50 years, with a baseline BMI of 18.5–29.9.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2458-7-108

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