Poverty and obesity are threats to Jamaican women

Poverty or lower socio-economic status (SES) is a significant contributor to the high levels of obesity in Jamaican women as poor women are unable to afford to eat healthy, said Minister of Health, John Junor at a meeting last week.

“In making food choices on limited budgets the poor often purchase foods that are filling ú usually foods with high fat and sugar content. These are foods that contribute to overweight and obesity,” Junor said at the Food and Nutrition security poverty alleviation strategies in the Caribbean meeting held at the Hilton hotel in Kingston.

Junor also quoted the recent lifestyle survey of the Jamaican population which showed that approximately 60 per cent of Jamaican females and 30 per cent of its males are either overweight or obese.

A person is considered “overweight” when he or she is above a healthy weight, which varies according to a person’s height. Obesity is defined as increased body weight caused by excessive accumulation of fat.

According to the study, persons with a lower SES were unable to afford vital foods such as fruits and vegetables. However, funds were spent on inexpensive foods, oil and snacks.

The study was done by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in collaboration with the Tropical Medicine Research Institute at the University of the West Indies. It used a nationally representative sample of 2,013 persons –692 male, 1321 female, ages 15 to 74.

It used a subjective social economic status (SES) score to classify the group as follows:

* 34.5 per cent (or 668) were poor,

* 41.4 per cent (or 802) were lower middle class (LMC)

* and 24.1 per cent (or 468) of 1938 participants were upper middle class (UMC).

“Whilst controlling for age, it was found that women classified as LMC were 1.4 times more likely and those classified as UMC were 1.3 times more likely to be obese than those classified as poor,” the study said. “Interestingly, their male counterparts were at even greater risk with those in the LMC being 3.1 times more likely and those in the UMC being 4.7 times more likely to be obese than those males who were deemed poor.” The survey also noted that women were almost 5 times more likely than men to be obese even after controlling for age and SES.

According to the health minister, culture at times played a role in women wanting to be fat.

“One cultural norm, which is accepted and which makes obesity and overweight among the most difficult to control risk factors associated with chronic lifestyle diseases in the Caribbean, is that overweight is seen as a sign of prosperity and overweight women were often preferred,” Junor said at the meeting.

Worldwide epidemiological studies have proven that there is an association between obesity and certain chronic non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus.

The Lifestyle survey confirmed this as 36.5 per cent of the obese women were also hypertensive and 14.4 per cent of obese women were also diabetic. The survey also noted that the members in the household of women who are obese are usually obese as well.

In addition, the survey said 80.5 per cent or 212 out of 406 of the obese women fall in the 25 to 44 and the 45 to 64 age ranges. Fifteen per cent of the obese women are between 30 to 34 years old.

At the same time the Epidemiology Research Unit at the Ministry of Health told All Woman that there was an increase in the mortality rate among these women, but said that no local data was available.

“Increased rates of diabetes, hypertension and arthritic conditions are noted in these women,” the unit said.

The research unit recommended that persons who are obese should increase physical activity, decrease fat and sugar intake, and increase intake of fibre (yam, breadfruit, cocoa, whole wheat bread and biscuits) and increase intake of fruits and vegetables.

60 per cent of Jamaican females and 30 percent of its males are either overweight of obese