Abstract

Objective: To investigate factors potentially associated with overweight in women of different skin colors. Methods and material: Cross-sectional population-based study with a random two-stage selection sample. A total of 1865 Brazilian women ages 15 to 49 years, mothers of children under 5 years of age, residing in seven different regions of Brazil. Body Mass Index was used to identify overweight (BMI >=25). The women were categorized according to skin color as white or brown. Results: The final logistic regression model showed that the skin color variable was associated with overweight in this sample of Brazilian women in two ways: as a biological variable and as a socioeconomic marker. We observed a significant interaction between skin color, age bracket, and residential stratum (urban versus rural), showing that this condition requires these other variables to complement its final effect on overweight. Conclusion: The skin color variable is important to explain the differential prevalence of overweight in the various population sub-groups through statistically significant interactions with age, stratum, and purchasing power. © 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.