Regional and Geographical Disparities in Body Mass Index (BMI) Among Chinese Older Adults: The Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey.

This study examined the regional and geographical disparities in body mass index (BMI) among Chinese older adults. Using panel data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, participants included 3,740 older adults (age ≥ 65 years) who answered all three waves of the survey (2009-2014). Sex-stratified and multistate Cox regression was used to examine the disparities in BMI change. Results showed that both older males and older females who resided in the central-south had lower rates of weight change from nonobese to obese, compared with those from the east. Older females from urban regions had higher rate of weight change from nonobese to obese, compared with rural participants (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.13, 1.60]; p < .01). However, there were no disparities between urban and rural areas among older males (p > .05). These results provided practical implications for regional and geographical disparities in BMI among Chinese older adults.