Table 2.
Medical characteristics for adults with a normal BMI level (18 years and older) and odds ratioa (confidence intervals) by BMI levels (reference: normal-weight)b
| Normal-weight (%) | OR and CIs underweight versus normal-weight | OR and CIs overweight versus normal-weight | OR and CIs obese versus normal-weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| At least 1 medical condition | 64.1% | 0.92 (0.8, 1.0) | 1.2 (1.1, 1.3) | 1.8 (1.6, 1.9) |
| ≥3 medical conditions | 21.1% | 1.1 (1.0, 1.2) | 1.3 (1.2, 1.4) | 2.1 (2.0, 2.3) |
| Specific medical conditions | ||||
| Allergies other than food | 28.0% | 1.0 (0.9, 1.1) | 1.1 (1.0, 1.1) | 1.2 (1.1, 1.3) |
| Back problems | 17.6% | 1.0 (0.8, 1.1) | 1.2 (1.1, 1.3) | 1.5 (1.4, 1.6) |
| Arthritis/rheumatism | 15.1% | 0.8 (0.7, 0.9) | 1.3 (1.3, 1.5) | 2.2 (2.0, 2.4) |
| High blood pressure | 9.9% | 0.7 (0.5, 0.8) | 1.8 (1.7, 2.0) | 3.6 (3.3, 4.0) |
| Other chronic condition | 11.7% | 1.0 (0.9, 1.2) | 1.1 (1.0, 1.2) | 1.3 (1.2, 1.5) |
| Migraine | 9.4% | 1.0 (0.9, 1.2) | 1.2 (1.1, 1.3) | 1.5 (1.4, 1.7) |
| Asthma | 9.2% | 1.1 (1.0, 1.4) | 1.3 (1.1, 1.4) | 1.8 (1.6, 2.0) |
| Food allergies | 7.6% | 1.1 (0.9, 1.3) | 1.0 (0.9, 1.1) | 1.0 (0.9, 1.2) |
| Heart disease | 5.1% | 1.0 (0.8, 1.2) | 1.2 (1.0, 1.3) | 1.7 (1.5, 2.0) |
| Thyroid | 4.4% | 0.9 (0.7, 1.1) | 1.3 (1.1, 1.4) | 1.7 (1.5, 1.9) |
| Diabetes | 2.9% | 0.6 (0.4, 0.9) | 1.8 (1.6, 2.0) | 3.8 (3.3, 4.3) |
| Cataracts | 4.1% | 0.9 (0.7, 1.1) | 1.1 (1.0, 1.3) | 1.3 (1.1, 1.6) |
| Stomach/intestinal ulcers | 2.8% | 1.2 (0.9, 1.5) | 1.2 (1.0, 1.4) | 1.6 (1.4, 1.9) |
| Bronchitis | 2.4% | 1.3 (1.0, 1.6) | 1.0 (0.9, 1.2) | 2.0 (1.7, 2.3) |
| Bowel disorder | 2.5% | 1.3 (1.0, 1.7) | 1.2 (1.0, 1.4) | 1.5 (1.2, 1.8) |
| Urinary incontinence | 2.1% | 1.2 (0.9, 1.6) | 1.3 (1.1, 1.5) | 2.4 (2.0, 2.9) |
| Cancer | 1.7% | 1.0 (0.7, 1.4) | 1.0 (0.8, 1.2) | 1.2 (0.9, 1.4) |
| Glaucoma | 1.3% | 1.2 (0.8, 1.6) | 1.1 (0.9, 1.3) | 1.1 (0.9, 1.5) |
| Fibromyalgia | 1.2% | 1.0 (0.7, 1.5) | 1.4 (1.1, 1.8) | 2.3 (1.8, 2.9) |
| Emphysema or COPD | 1.1% | 2.6 (1.8, 3.7) | 0.9 (0.7, 1.1) | 1.6 (1.2, 2.1) |
| Effects of a stroke | 1.3% | 1.2 (0.8, 1.8) | 0.9 (0.7, 1.2) | 1.5 (1.2, 2.0) |
| Chronic fatigue syndrome | 0.9% | 1.5 (1.0, 2.3) | 1.0 (0.7, 1.3) | 1.7 (1.3, 2.4) |
| Epilepsy | 0.5% | 1.8 (1.1, 2.9) | 0.8 (0.6, 1.2) | 1.6 (1.1, 2.4) |
| Alzheimer’s disease | 0.3% | 1.0 (0.3, 2.9) | 0.7 (0.3, 1.3) | 0.9 (0.4, 2.0) |
| Multiple sclerosis | 0.3% | 1.7 (0.9, 3.4) | 0.5 (0.3, 1.0) | 0.7 (0.4, 1.4) |
a
Notes: Adjusted by age, gender, personal income, physical activity and smoking status;
b
based on complete data except for Emphysema or COPD (n = 23,038 out of 28,797 respondents); bold indicates statistical significance (ie, P < 0.05) compared to normal weight.
Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.