[Overweight and obesity in the Zurich canton. A LuftiBus study].

In this study the data from 30,598 subjects participating in the LuftiBus project during 1993-1998 were analyzed for the prevalence rates of overweight and obesity. 36.6% of men and 23.6% of the women in the total population were overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9 kg/m2) and 6.6% of the men as well as 7.5% of the women were obese (BMI > 30.0 kg/m2). At a younger age the women were in general lighter, however, with advancing age women became heavier than men. The prevalence data from this study are in quite good agreement with data from other Swiss epidemiologic studies as well international studies. The rather high prevalence rates of obesity show clearly that the problem of obesity can only be solved by preventive means.