Table 3.
Percentage of adults with specific medications and odds ratioa (confidence intervals) by BMI levels (reference: normal-weight)
| Normal-weight (%) | OR and CIs underweight versus normal-weight | OR and CIs overweight versus normal-weight | OR and CIs obese versus normal-weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pain relievers | 67.9% | 0.8 (0.7, 0.9) | 1.1 (1.0, 1.2) | 1.2 (1.1, 1.4) |
| Birth control pills | 21.3% | 1.1 (0.9, 1.3) | 0.9 (0.7, 1.0) | 0.9 (0.7, 1.1) |
| Cough/cold | 18.0% | 0.9 (0.8, 1.1) | 1.1 (1.0, 1.2) | 1.2 (1.1, 1.4) |
| Other | 15.3% | 1.0 (0.9, 1.2) | 1.1 (1.0, 1.2) | 1.4 (1.3, 1.6) |
| Hormones for menopause | 13.9% | 0.8 (0.6, 0.9) | 1.2 (1.0, 1.3) | 1.1 (0.9, 1.3) |
| Blood pressure | 9.4% | 0.7 (0.6, 0.8) | 1.8 (1.6, 2.0) | 3.5 (3.1, 3.9) |
| Stomach | 10.4% | 1.0 (0.8, 1.1) | 1.3 (1.2, 1.4) | 1.6 (1.4, 1.8) |
| Allergy medicine | 9.4% | 0.9 (0.7, 1.1) | 1.0 (0.9, 1.1) | 1.1 (1.0, 1.3) |
| Penicillin/other | 8.0% | 1.2 (1.0, 1.4) | 1.0 (0.9, 1.1) | 1.3 (1.1, 1.5) |
| Asthma medications | 5.5% | 1.3 (1.1, 1.6) | 1.2 (1.1, 1.4) | 1.8 (1.6, 2.1) |
| Codeine/demerol/morphine | 5.5% | 1.3 (1.1, 1.6) | 1.2 (1.1, 1.4) | 1.7 (1.4, 1.9) |
| Medicine for the heart | 4.9% | 1.0 (0.8, 1.3) | 1.2 (1.1, 1.4) | 2.0 (1.7, 2.3) |
| Antidepressants | 5.0% | 1.0 (0.8, 1.2) | 1.2 (1.1, 1.4) | 1.8 (1.6, 2.1) |
| Sleeping pills | 4.8% | 1.3 (1.0, 1.5) | 1.0 (0.9, 1.1) | 1.1 (0.9, 1.2) |
| Diuretics | 3.6% | 0.8 (0.6, 1.1) | 1.5 (1.3, 1.7) | 3.3 (2.9, 3.9) |
| Thyroid | 4.1% | 0.8 (0.6, 1.0) | 1.2 (1.0, 1.4) | 1.7 (1.4, 1.9) |
| Laxatives | 3.9% | 1.1 (0.9, 1.4) | 0.9 (0.8, 1.1) | 1.1 (0.9, 1.3) |
| Control diabetes | 1.8% | 0.4 (0.3, 0.8) | 1.8 (1.5, 2.2) | 3.7 (3.1, 4.6) |
| Tranquilizers | 2.7% | 1.7 (1.3, 2.2) | 1.1 (0.9, 1.3) | 1.5 (1.2, 1.8) |
| Steroids | 1.3% | 1.2 (0.8, 1.8) | 1.2 (1.0, 1.6) | 2.0 (1.6, 2.7) |
| Insulin | 0.5% | 0.9 (0.5, 1.8) | 1.9 (1.4, 2.6) | 3.3 (2.4, 4.6) |
a
Note: Adjusted by age, gender, personal income, physical activity and smoking status; bold indicates statistical significance (ie, P < 0.05) compared to normal weight.
Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.