Data on the body mass index (BMI) from four Scandinavian countries are compared. The Finnish values are markedly higher than those of the other countries. This holds for both sexes. Among these the Norwegians deviate by showing higher values for females, though not reaching the Finnish level, but lower values for the males. The populations from which the observations are drawn are differently sampled. There is no evidence that differences as to composition in rural/urban populations can explain the differences.
SchnohrPJensenGNyboeJHansenAT. Et prospektivt, kardiovaskulært populasjonsstudie af 20 000 mænd og kvinder. Ugeskr Læger1977; 139: 1921–3.
2.
JensenG.Epidemiology of chest pain and angina pectoris. Acta Med Scand1984; Suppl 682: 1–120.
3.
PuskaPSalonenJTNissinenAChange in risk factors for coronary heart disease during 10 years of a community intervention programme (North Karelia Project). Br Med J1983; 287: 1840–4.
4.
World Health Organization. Proposal for the multinational monitoring of trends and determinants in cardiovascular disease and protocol (MONICA project). Geneva: WHO (EHO)/MNC/82.1.
5.
WaalerHT. Height, weight and mortality—the Norwegian experience. Acta Med Scand1984; Suppl 679: 56 pp.
6.
LarssonB.Obesity. A population study of men, with special reference to development and consequences for the health. Theses. Göteborg 1978.
7.
BengtssonC.Ischaemic heart disease in women. A study based on a randomized population sample of women with myocardial infarction in Göteborg, Sweden. Acta Med Scand1973; Suppl 549.
8.
HaglundBJA. Geographical and socioeconomic distribution of overweight and morbidity in a rural Swedish county. Scand J Soc Med1987; 15: 19–29.
9.
AromaaA.Epidemiology and public health impact of high blood pressure in Finland. Publications of the Social Insurance Institution AL: 17. Helsinki, 1981.
10.
KannelWBGordonTCastelliWP. Obesity, lipids and glucose intolerance. The Framingham study. Am J Clin Nutr1979; 32: 1238–45.
11.
JalkanenLTuomilehtoJSalonenJTNissinenAPietinenPPuskaP.Changes in body mass index during a ten year follow-up of the adult general population of East Finland (Abstract). The IV International Congress on Obesity, New York, 5–8 October 1983. Abstract book: 40a.
12.
Central Bureau of Statistics of Norway.Statistical yearbook1985.