Effects of Sedentary Lifestyle and Dietary Habits on Body Mass Index Change among adult Women in India: Findings from a Follow up study

We examined the effects of sedentary lifestyle and dietary factors on the change in Body Mass Index (BMI) in a follow up study of 325 women aged 15-49 years in Delhi, systematically selected from the 1998-99 NFHS-2 samples who were re-interviewed after four years in 2003. Information was collected on height, weight, dietary habits and sedentary lifestyle through face to face interviews. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratios for BMI change, adjusting for various confounders. Overall, a 2 point increase in mean BMI was found among women in just 4 years (from 24.8 in 1999 to 26.8 in 2003). Every second normal BMI women, 2 in 5 overweight women and every fourth obese women experienced >2 point increase in their mean BMI from 1999 to 2003. Highest weight gain was found in women with a normal BMI. High sedentary lifestyle (OR:2.63;95%CI:1.29-5.35) emerged as the main predictor of >2 point increase in mean BMI in the adjusted analysis but there was a weak evidence of association with the dietary covariates. Findings suggest a high sedentary lifestyle as determinant of weight gain among adult women in urban India which call for relevant behavioural change interventions.