Obesity and self-rated health in middle-aged Danes
Main finding · Poor self-rated healthResult — go to the resultPrevalence ratio 3.5 95% CI 3.4–3.7Authors' conclusion
In middle-aged adults, a higher BMI level or increased waist circumference was strongly associated with poorer self-rated health. Obesity may indicate an unmet need for addressing health deficits beyond the effects of comorbid diseases.
Study context
- Population
- Danish residents aged 50–65 who completed an online questionnaire in 2021
- Participants
- 87,934 residents
- Exposure
- BMI levels vs normal weight
- Outcome
- Prevalence of poor self-rated health ("less good" or "bad"); prevalence ratios by Poisson regression adjusted for age, sex and education
Methodological detailspopulation-based
- Population-based
Main finding
Poor self-rated health
Prevalence ratio
3.5
95% CI 3.4–3.7
By group
Obesity class IIvs Normal weight
prevalence ratio 3.5 (95% CI 3.4–3.7)
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Prevalence ratio for poor self-rated health in subgroups with comorbid histories
- PR, history of depression
- 1.4 (95% CI 1.3-1.5)
- PR, preexisting stress
- 1.3 (95% CI 1.2-1.4)
- PR, diabetes
- 1.6 (95% CI 1.5-1.8)
- PR, CVD
- 2.0 (95% CI 1.8-2.2)
- Prevalence ratio attenuated in these subgroups
Increased waist circumference (>102 cm men, 88 cm women) and poor self-rated health
- Increased waist circumference showed similar associations with poor self-rated health
Spline models
- Linear increasing prevalence of poor self-rated health at BMI above 23 kg/m² and waist circumference above 90 cm in men and 85 cm in women
Original publication
Obesity and self-rated health in middle-aged Danes. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 18 November 2025. doi:10.
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