Background: This study was to investigate obesity prevalence and the association with socioeconomic, psychosocial, and behavioral factors in adults in a rural area.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1,106 (414 men and 692 women) participants aged over 30 years was conducted in Kyungsangnam-do Sancheong-gun and Changwon-si. Face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire was applied to acquire information on factors associated with obesity. Anthropometric and metabolic risk factors were assessed by clinical and blood examinations.
Results: Prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 25) was 29.4% (26.8% in men and 30.9% in women). Among men, after adjustment of other covariates, prevalence of obesity was higher in subjects with less education (odds ratio, OR = 2.5, 95% confidence interval, CI = 1.0-6.0), among heavy drinkers
(OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.1-3.3), and those with either hypertension (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.2-2.8) or diabetes (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.0-4.2). Obesity prevalence was lower among current smokers (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.3-0.8) and subjects with lower income (OR = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2-0.9). In women, it was lower among manual laborers than in housewives, and higher in subjects with either hypertension (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.4-2.7), diabetes (2.6, 95% CI = 1.4-4.8) or hypercholesterolemia (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1-2.6). There was no significant relationship between psychosocial factors and prevalence of obesity.
Conclusions: The present study suggested that socioeconomic factors and health behavior might influence the development of obesity. However, the relationship between psychosocial factors and prevalence of obesity was not identified except for the fact that higher social support might be related to less obesity. Further studies with longitudinal design should be followed to understand the causal mechanism of obesity and these factors.

Keywords: Obesity, Socioeconomic factors, Social support, stress, Health behavior, Rural

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