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Table 1 Characteristics of the overweight and obese adult study population, of the “Gezondheidsmonitor 2012” (n = 4220)

From: Predictors of need for help with weight loss among overweight and obese men and women in the Netherlands: a cross-sectional study

Variables

Categories

Men (n = 2218)

Women (n = 2002)

Total (n = 4220)

Need for help for weight loss, n (%)

Yes (certainly, maybe)

421 (19.0)

631 (31,5)

1055 (24.9)

I already receive help

100 (4.5)

170 (8.5)

270 (6.4)

No need for help

1697 (76.5)

1201 (60.0)

2898 (68.7)

Predisposing characteristics

 Age, mean (SD)

 

49.0 (11.0)

47.7 (11.6)

48.4 (11.3)

 Age category, n (%)

19–34 years

280 (12.6)

311 (15.5)

591 (14.0)

35–49 years

743 (33.5)

674 (33.7)

1417 (33.6)

50–64 years

1195 (53.9)

1017 (50.8)

2212 (52.4)

 Ethnicity, n (%)

Native Dutch

1917 (86.4)

1681 (84.0)

3598 (85.3)

Western

176 (7.9)

184 (9.2)

360 (8.5)

Non-western

125 (5.6)

137 (6.8)

262 (6.2)

 Marital status, n (%)

Married/ cohabiting

1789 (80.6)

1548 (77.3)

3337 (79.1)

Unmarried

256 (11.6)

210 (10.5)

466 (11.0)

Divorced

143 (6.4)

179 (8.9)

322 (7.6)

Widowed

30 (1.4)

65 (3.3)

95 (2.3)

 Educational level, n (%)

Low (primary, lower vocational)

91 (4.1)

108 (5.4)

199 (4.7)

Medium (secondary, secondary vocational)

1398 (63.0)

1352 (67.5)

2750 (65.2)

High (≥ bachelor’s degree)

729 (32.9)

542 (27.1)

1271 (30.1)

Health- and weight-related factors

 Perceived health, n (%)

Poor (fair, bad and very bad)

449 (20.2)

463 (23.1)

912 (21.6)

 Body Mass Index, mean (SD)

 

28.1 (2.9)

28.9 (3.7)

28.5 (3.3)

 Weight status, n (%)

Overweight (25 ≤ BMI < 30)

1778 (80.2)

1419 (70.9)

3197 (75.8)

Obese (BMI ≥ 30)

440 (19.8)

583 (29.1)

1023 (24.2)

 Comorbiditiesb, n (%)

≥ 1 weight-related chronic condition

1106 (49.9)

1105 (55.2)

2211 (52.4)

 Physical activity level (PA)a, n (%)

Non-active (meeting PA norm 0 days/week)

134 (6.0)

119 (5.9)

253 (6.0)

Semi-active (meeting PA norm 1–4 days/week)

722 (32.6)

615 (30.7)

1337 (31.7)

Norm active (meeting PA norm ≥5 days/week)

1362 (61.4)

1268 (63.4)

2630 (62.3)

Enabling resources

 Income, n (%)

Low (≤€15,200–€19,400)

343 (15.5)

429 (21.4)

772 (18.3)

Middle (€19,401–€31,000)

1041 (46.9)

958 (47.9)

1999 (47.4)

High (>€31,000)

834 (37.6)

615 (30.7)

1449 (34.3)

  1. aPhysical activity level based on the Dutch norm for sufficient physical activity: ≥5 days/week 30 min moderately intense physical activity
  2. bComorbidities include: cardio-vascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, asthma/COPD, gastrointestinal diseases, osteoarthritis, and back conditions