Bio-social Evaluation of Adiposity Levels in Women: Reinventing the Ecological Model Approach

ABSTRACT

Purpose:

To examine the socio-cultural-demographic and reproductive factors as underlying determinants of obesity.It also tends to understand the dynamics of various factors that act on contributory lines and consequently influence the incidence and management of ‘conventional prognosticators of chronic disease’ with the help of facets of ecological theory.

Methods:

A cross-sectional sample of 698 women of three different ethnicities and geographical regions were included in the study. Two tribal populations-Tangkhul Nagas from Manipur and Siddis of Gujarat with urbanites of Delhi Punjabi Khatri-Arora were studied for socio-demographic- economic and reproductive determinants of obesity. The differences in anthropometrics of given populations were tested by ANOVA and student’s t-test. Separate regression models tests were used for each population with obesity markers as dependent variables and social determinants as independent variables.

Results:

Odds of socio-demographic indicators as predictors of overweight/obesity were higher for those who- have education equivalent to schooling, being a homemaker, being married, living in a nuclear family, having less than 3 meals a day, a higher preference and frequency of non-vegetarian consumption. Reproductive factors and perception about health and physical activity were also found to be crucial determinants of obesity.

Conclusion:

Irrespective of genes, clustering of social and cultural factors like physical inactivity, irregular and unhealthy eating patterns family structuring, marital status and some social disadvantage forms an intricate mesh. This web provides an alternative intrinsic explanation for the social gradient of obesity in women. The various determinants identified in the present study through ecological models, are seen to have the potency to influence multiple health behaviors and health outcomes.

Keywords:

Ecological model, khatri – aroras, obesogenic, siddis, social determinants, tangkhul nagas, women health.