BMI: Analysis of the population indicators in working population of the Republic of Serbia in relation to gender and age

The aim of this paper is to define the population indicators of the nutritional status among the working population of the Republic of Serbia based on the value of Body Mass Index (BMI). The sample consisted of a total of 7.125 working subjects, among which 4.525 males (63.51%) and 2.600 females (36.49%). The subjects were from the following regions: Northern Serbia-Vojvodina, Capital city - Belgrade, Central Serbia, Western Serbia, Southern Serbia and Eastern Serbia. The average BMI values based on test groups of men and women were 26.53±4.07 and 24.07±5.09 kg
m-2, respectively. On the basis of the obtained results, it was determined that statistically significant BMI differences exist among subjects in general, i.e. in relation to gender (F=58.412, p<0.000), the age category (F=268.885, p<0.001) as well as the interaction of the given factors (F=18.203. p<0.000). In relation to the prevalence, for the female subsample, it was determined that 65.3% of the subjects are in the optimal weight category, 18.7% are overweight, 12.5% are obese and 3.6% of are in the underweight category. When it comes to the male test group, the underweight prevalence of 0.2% was established. Percentage of subjects in the categories of optimal weight, overweight and obesity was 37.9, 48.0 and 13.9%, respectively. The highest prevalence of overweight and obesity was found at the age of 60-65 years. In the male test group, it was determined that 45.2% of the subjects were pre-obese and 26.0% were obese. In relation to the female subsample, the prevalence of overweight was found to be at the level of 36.8%, while the prevalence of obesity was as high as 41.4%. On the basis of the defined models of nutrition status in relation to age, it was found that the established BMI growth constant is 0.0904 kg·m-2, that is 90.4 g
m-2 per year of life for the male subsample, while for the female subsample growth constant is at the level of 0.1767 kg
m-2, that is 176.7 g
m-2 per year of life.