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Relationship between body mass index and the use of healthcare services in Australia

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Version 1 2014-10-27, 16:26
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-16, 13:41 authored by D Reidpath, David CrawfordDavid Crawford, L Tilgner, C Gibbons
Objective: To examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the use of medical and preventive health services. Research Methods and Procedures: This study involved secondary analysis of weighted data from the Australian 1995 National Health Survey. The study was a population survey designed to obtain national benchmark information about a range of health-related issues. Data were available from 17,033 men and 17,174 women, 20 years or age. BMI, based on self-reported weight and height, was analyzed in relation to the use of medical services and preventive health services. Results: A positive relationship was found between BMI and medical service use, such as medication use, visits to hospital accident and emergency departments (for women only); doctor visits, visits to a hospital outpatient clinics; and visits to other health professionals (for women only). A negative relationship was found in women between BMI and preventive health services. Underweight women were found to be significantly less likely to have Papanicolaou smear tests, breast examinations, and mammograms. Discussion: This research shows that people who fall outside the healthy weight range are more likely to use a range of medical services. Given that the BMI of industrialized populations appears to be increasing, this has important ramifications for health service planning and reinforces the need for obesity prevention strategies at a population level.

History

Journal

Obesity research

Volume

10

Pagination

526-531

Location

Baton Rouge, LA

Open access

  • Yes

ISSN

1071-7323

eISSN

1930-739X

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2002, NAASO

Issue

6

Publisher

North American Association for the Study of Obesity

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