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Table 2 Comparison between BMI < 25 & BMI ≥ 25 (N = 6691)

From: Obesity epidemic in urban Tanzania: a public health calamity in an already overwhelmed and fragmented health system

Characteristic

BMI < 25

(n = 2195)

BMI ≥ 25

(n = 4496)

p-value

Age (mean, SD)

38.3 (15.3)

45.4 (13.1)

< 0.001

Age groups

 18–33a

1074 (54.3%)

904 (45.7%)

–

 34–49

620 (24.4%)

1920 (75.6%)

< 0.001

 50–65

347 (20.4%)

1352 (79.6%)

< 0.001

  > 65

154 (32.5%)

320 (67.5%)

< 0.001

Sex

 Female

858 (28.0%)

2208 (72.0%)

 

 Male

1337 (36.9%)

2288 (63.1%)

< 0.001

Education level

  ≤ primary education

552 (29.1%)

1345 (70.9%)

 

  ≥ secondary education

1643 (34.3%)

3151 (65.7%)

< 0.001

Employment status

 Currently working

1713 (31.1%)

3799 (68.9%)

 

 Not working (students, jobless, retired)

482 (40.9%)

697 (59.1%)

< 0.001

Dietary habits

 - Breakfast intake (days/week)

3.7

4.2

< 0.001

 - Water intake (liters/day)

2.7

1.4

< 0.001

 - Soft drinks consumption (days/week)

1.9

4.7

< 0.001

 - Fast food consumption (days/week)

2.3

4.2

< 0.001

 - Vegetables & Fruits intake (days/week)

4.6

2.3

< 0.001

 - Alcohol drinkers

617 (28.1%)

1627 (36.2%)

< 0.001

Smoking History

 Ever smokers

172 (37.2%)

290 (62.8%)

 

 Never smokers

2023 (32.5%)

4206 (67.5%)

0.04

Physical Activity

 Inactive/Underactive

1906 (32.3%)

4002 (67.7%)

 

 Active

289 (36.9%)

494 (63.1%)

0.01

Hypertension history

 Positive

243 (20.0%)

969 (80.0%)

 

 Negative

1952 (35.6%)

3527 (64.4%)

< 0.001

Elevated Blood Pressure

 Normal

1573 (39.4%)

2419 (60.6%)

 

 Elevated

622 (23.0%)

2077 (77.0%)

< 0.001

Perception about current body weight

 (% perceiving themselves as overweight/obese)

116 (5.3%)

3022 (67.2%)

< 0.001

  1. areference group