Benjamin Amos L
Division of Public Health, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby.
P N G Med J. 2007 Sep-Dec;50(3-4):163-71.
This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Port Moresby and 3 rural areas of Papua New Guinea from 1999 to 2002. These areas were selected because of their specific characteristics such as modernity, geographical location and remoteness. The aim of the study was to compare the body mass index (BMI) of selected urban and rural populations. When age was standardized, in urban and periurban populations, the mean BMI increased with age to about 40 years, plateaued and then decreased in older age. The BMI was higher in Port Moresby than in the other study areas: many people in Port Moresby were overweight (40%) and obese (21%), and by gender, 26% of females and 16% of males were obese. In Manus, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 36% and 18% respectively. In both Port Moresby and Manus, more women than men were obese. Obesity was not a problem in rural areas of Strickland and Central Province. In rural Central Province 52% of subjects had a BMI < 20 kg/m2. Obesity is becoming a public health problem in the urban areas. The high prevalence of overweight and obesity corresponds with the high intake of refined carbohydrates and fatty foods in urban and periurban areas. It will be necessary to carry out health awareness and education on the risk factors associated with obesity in the urban and periurban areas and promote healthy environments: healthy foods should be available and affordable, and the accessibility and safety of exercise and walking tracks must be supported by the community and government agencies.
这是一项于1999年至2002年在巴布亚新几内亚的莫尔斯比港和3个农村地区开展的横断面研究。选择这些地区是因其具有诸如现代性、地理位置和偏远程度等特定特征。该研究的目的是比较选定的城市和农村人口的体重指数（BMI）。在对年龄进行标准化后，城市和城郊人口的平均BMI随年龄增长至约40岁，达到平稳状态，然后在老年时下降。莫尔斯比港的BMI高于其他研究地区：莫尔斯比港许多人超重（40%）和肥胖（21%），按性别划分，26%的女性和16%的男性肥胖。在马努斯，超重和肥胖的患病率分别为36%和18%。在莫尔斯比港和马努斯，肥胖女性均多于男性。肥胖在斯特里克兰和中央省的农村地区不是问题。在农村中央省，52%的受试者BMI<20kg/m²。肥胖在城市地区正成为一个公共卫生问题。超重和肥胖的高患病率与城市和城郊地区精制碳水化合物和高脂肪食物的高摄入量相对应。有必要在城市和城郊地区开展关于肥胖相关危险因素的健康意识和教育，并促进健康环境：应提供且价格合理的健康食品，社区和政府机构必须支持运动和步行道的可达性和安全性。
