A profile of body mass index in a large rural Victorian obstetric cohort

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To report on the prevalence and implications of overweight and obesity in a rural maternity cohort. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A retrospective 6-2013 cohort of 6138 pregnancies managed in a rural Victorian maternity service from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2010. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maternal body mass index (BMI), prevalence of overweight and obesity, prevalence of pregnancy complications and their association with BMI class. RESULTS: A total of 65.6% of all women were overweight or obese. Only 32.7% of the women were of normal/healthy weight; 1.6% were underweight, 33.0% were overweight, 18.6% were obese class I, 8.3% obese class II and 5.7% were obese class III. Incr..