A Strong Graded Relationship between Level of Obesity and COPD: Findings from a National Population-Based Study of Lifelong Nonsmokers
Table 1
Prevalence of COPD by Obesity Level and other Characteristics among non-Hispanic white older women (aged 50+) who had never smoked ()1.
No COPD
COPD
value2
(94.7%)
(5.3%)
Obesity
BMI < 25 (ref)
96.5%
3.5%
<0.001
Overweight (BMI = 25–29)
95.4%
4.6%
Obese (BMI = 30–39.9)
92.4%
7.6%
Class III obesity (BMI ≥ 40)
86.6%
13.4%
Age by decade
50s (ref)
96.5%
3.5%
<0.001
60s
94.6%
5.4%
70s
93.5%
6.5%
80+
92.9%
7.1%
Height (mean, SD)
64.1 (2.7)
63.6 (2.8)
<0.001
Socioeconomic status
Education
Did not graduate high school
91.0%
9.0%
<0.001
Graduated high school
94.1%
5.9%
Attended college or technical school
94.7%
5.3%
Graduated from college or technical school
96.9%
3.1%
Household income
$75,000 or more (ref)
97.8%
2.2%
<0.001
$50,000 to less than $75,000
96.3%
3.7%
$25,000–$49,999
94.1%
5.9%
$15,000–$24,999
92.3%
7.7%
<$15,000
88.3%
11.7%
Missing
94.7%
5.3%
Household conditions
Marital status
Married/common-law
94.8%
5.2%
=0.208
Never married
95.3%
4.7%
Number of adults/households
1
93.4%
6.6%
<0.001
2
95.6%
4.4%
≥3
95.3%
4.7%
Missing
94.2%
5.8%
Health plan
Yes (ref)
94.9%
5.1%
<0.001
No
93.3%
6.7%
1Sample sizes are presented in their unweighted form. Percentages are weighted to adjust for the probability of selection and nonresponse. 2 value is derived from a chi-square test for categorical variables and t-test for continuous variables. Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2012. SD = standard deviation.