INTRODUCTION: We looked at the relationships among posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), body mass index (BMI) and socioeconomic status (SES) in a newly formed PTSD program at the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond, VA. METHODS: We reviewed 265 records and then selected only black and white male veterans (n=252) for study. Variables were: 1) age, 2) decade of life, 3) height, 4) weight, 5) sex, 6) race, and 7) SES (estimated using priority group status). Low income is an important variable determining priority group status. RESULTS: About two-thirds of the veterans were in the age range of 50-59 years (Vietnam veterans). Their mean BMI was 30.2 +/- 5.6 kg/m2, and this value did not separate by race. Far exceeding national numbers, 84.1% of our veterans were either overweight or obese. Veterans in the lower priority groups had greater (p=0.029) BMIs than their counterparts in higher priority groups. CONCLUSIONS: The pervasiveness of overweight and obesity in our PTSD population was profound. Our observations suggest that low SES is a likely contributor to veterans in lower priority groups having greater BMIs than veterans in higher priority groups.
INTRODUCTION: We looked at the relationships among posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), body mass index (BMI) and socioeconomic status (SES) in a newly formed PTSD program at the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond, VA. METHODS: We reviewed 265 records and then selected only black and white male veterans (n=252) for study. Variables were: 1) age, 2) decade of life, 3) height, 4) weight, 5) sex, 6) race, and 7) SES (estimated using priority group status). Low income is an important variable determining priority group status. RESULTS: About two-thirds of the veterans were in the age range of 50-59 years (Vietnam veterans). Their mean BMI was 30.2 +/- 5.6 kg/m2, and this value did not separate by race. Far exceeding national numbers, 84.1% of our veterans were either overweight or obese. Veterans in the lower priority groups had greater (p=0.029) BMIs than their counterparts in higher priority groups. CONCLUSIONS: The pervasiveness of overweight and obesity in our PTSD population was profound. Our observations suggest that low SES is a likely contributor to veterans in lower priority groups having greater BMIs than veterans in higher priority groups.
Authors: Ali H Mokdad; Earl S Ford; Barbara A Bowman; William H Dietz; Frank Vinicor; Virginia S Bales; James S Marks Journal: JAMA Date: 2003-01-01 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Jaswinder Kumar; Jen-Chieh Chuang; Elisa S Na; Anna Kuperman; Andrea G Gillman; Shibani Mukherjee; Jeffrey M Zigman; Colleen A McClung; Michael Lutter Journal: Appetite Date: 2013-01-11 Impact factor: 3.868
Authors: Justin T McDaniel; Kate H Thomas; Caroline M Angel; Michael S Erwin; Louis P Nemec; Brandon B Young; Nicholas J Armstrong; Blayne P Smith; John M Pinter Journal: Prev Med Rep Date: 2018-09-07