Risk Profiles for Weight Gain among Postmenopausal Women: A Classification and Regression Tree Analysis Approach

Year: 2015

Type: article

Abstract: PURPOSE: Risk factors for obesity and weight gain are typically evaluated individually while "adjusting for" the influence of other confounding factors, and few studies, if any, have created risk profiles by clustering risk factors. We identified subgroups of postmenopausal women homogeneous in their clustered modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for gaining ≥ 3% weight. METHODS: This study included 612 postmenopausal women 50-79 years old, enrolled in an ancillary study of the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study between February 1995 and July 1998. Classification and regression tree and stepwise regression models were built and compared. RESULTS: Of 27 selected variables, the factors significantly related to ≥ 3% weight gain were weight change in the past 2 years, age at menopause, dietary fiber, fat, alcohol intake, and smoking. In women younger than 65 years, less than 4 kg weight change in the past 2 years sufficiently reduced risk of ≥ 3% weight gain. Different combinations of risk factors related to weight gain were reported for subgroups of women: women 65 years or older (essential factor: < 9.8 g/day dietary factor), African Americans (essential factor: currently smoking), and white women (essential factor: ≥ 5 kg weight change for the past 2 years). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest specific characteristics for particular subgroups of postmenopausal women that may be useful for identifying those at risk for weight gain. The study results may be useful for targeting efforts to promote strategies to reduce the risk of obesity and weight gain in subgroups of postmenopausal women and maximize the effect of weight control by decreasing obesity-relevant adverse health outcomes.

Source: PLoS ONE

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121430

Authors: Su Yon Jung, Mara Z. Vitolins, Jenifer Fenton, Alexis C. Frazier-Wood, Stephen D. Hursting, Shine Chang

Institutions: University of California, Los Angeles, UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Wake Forest University, Michigan State University, Baylor College of Medicine, Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine, The University of Texas at Austin

Language: English

Topic: Menopause: Health Impacts and Treatments

Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,382

Funders: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Women's Health Initiative, Ohio State University, Oklahoma State University, McGill University, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Cancer Institute

OpenAlex ID: W1998074802