{
  "abstract": "Background and aim Obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide, with large differences across regions. European data on obesity trends among ethnic groups is scarce, particularly regarding the influence of age and socioeconomic status on these trends, which is crucial for guiding targeted interventions. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of obesity and changes in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) over time and the effects of key sociodemographic factors on these changes using longitudinal data from a large multi-ethnic cohort.Methods Using baseline and follow-up data from 10 484 participants in the HEalthy Life in an Urban Setting (HELIUS) study, representing Dutch, South-Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, Ghanaian, Moroccan and Turkish populations; age-adjusted obesity prevalence; BMI and WC changes over an average follow-up of 6.3 (SD 1.2) years were calculated. Linear mixed models were used to assess changes in BMI and WC over time, adjusting for age, sex and socio-economic position. Key analyses were stratified by age (younger <50 years, older ≥50 years).Results Median age of the baseline population was 48.0 years (IQR 38.0, 56.0), with 56.7% being women. Age-adjusted prevalence of obesity increased from 23.6% at baseline to 28.7% at follow-up, with steeper increases in ethnic minority groups compared with the Dutch origin group. The steepest increase in BMI and WC was observed in younger migrants, especially in those of Ghanaian and African-Surinamese descent. In older participants, only individuals of Ghanaian and Turkish descent showed a further increase in BMI over time.Conclusion Obesity is increasingly prevalent in ethnic minority groups under 50 years, potentially raising obesity-related health risks and underscoring the need for targeted interventions to prevent further complications.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Department of Public & Occupational Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands",
        "Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences Institute, Department of Vascular Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands",
        "Department of Physiology, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana",
        "Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana",
        "Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa",
        "National Cardiothoracic Centre, Accra, Ghana"
      ],
      "name": "Yaw Kusi-Mensah"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Department of Public & Occupational Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands",
        "Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences Institute, Department of Vascular Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands"
      ],
      "name": "Esther M Vriend"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Amsterdam UMC, Department of General Practice, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands"
      ],
      "name": "Eric Moll van Charante"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Department of Public & Occupational Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands"
      ],
      "name": "Henrike Galenkamp"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Department of Public & Occupational Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands"
      ],
      "name": "Karien Stronks"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Department of Public & Occupational Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands",
        "Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences Institute, Department of Vascular Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands",
        "Department of Physiology, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana",
        "Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana"
      ],
      "name": "Charles Hayfron-Benjamin"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa"
      ],
      "name": "Sean Chetty"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences Institute, Department of Vascular Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands"
      ],
      "name": "Didier Collard"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Department of Public & Occupational Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands",
        "Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Charles Agyemang"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Department of Public & Occupational Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands",
        "Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences Institute, Department of Vascular Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands"
      ],
      "name": "Bert-Jan H van den Born"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Trends in obesity prevalence and changes in adiposity across ethnic groups: findings from a population-based prospective cohort study in Amsterdam, the Netherlands (HELIUS study)",
  "uid": "53127f78-f018-59b7-8ff3-1cd003f9f982"
}