Meat consumption providing a surplus energy in modern diet contributes to obesity prevalence: an ecological analysis

Table 1 Spearman and partial correlation between food groups and three variables defined by BMI (obesity, overweight and mean BMI)

Variables	Spearman			Partial
Variables	BMI ≥ 30	BMI ≥ 25	BMI mean	BMI ≥ 30	BMI ≥ 25	BMI mean
Food group
Meat, total	0.666^***	0.800^***	0.656^***	0.356^***	0.421^***	0.380^***
Meat, total, all variable controlled^a	-	-	-	0.357^***	0.415^***	0.339^***
Fats (plant oil + animal fat)	0.517^***	0.728^***	0.483^***	0.077	0.166	−0.005
Fruits, total	0.467^***	0.521^***	0.461^***	0.173	0.197*	0.258**
Fibers (vegetables + pulses)	0.315^***	0.516^***	0.330^***	−0.197*	−0.035	−0.107
Starch (cereals + starchy root)	−0.205^**	−0.228^**	-.318^***	0.078	−0.011	−0.085
Macronutrient
Meat protein	0.673^***	0.793^***	0.660^***	0.392^***	0.431^***	0.400^***
Meat protein, all variable controlled^b	-	-	-	0.316^***	0.183^*	0.299^***
Animal protein, excluding meat protein	0.522^***	0.741^***	0.516^***	0.017	0.214^*	0.029
Plant protein, total	−0.094	−0.063	−0.094	−0.227*	−0.333^***	−0.248^*
Animal fats, total	0.581^***	0.803^***	0.574^***	0.196*	0.379^***	0.222^*
Plant fats, total	0.440^***	0.570^***	0.371^***	0.252*	0.230^**	0.201^*
Carbohydrates	0.230^**	0.202^**	0.208^**	−0.193*	−0.324^***	−0.166
Potential confounder
Calories, total	0.623^***	0.805^***	0.563^***	-	-	-
GDP PPP	0.642^***	0.808^***	0.610^***	-	-	-
Physical Inactivity	0.438^***	0.384^***	0.460^***	-	-	-

Spearman’s rho of correlation and partial correlation are reported. Numbers of countries (df) included in the two correlation analysis are 161–170 and 115–123 respectively. * P < 0.05, **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001
BMI ≥ 30 and BMI ≥ 25 are percentages of defined population with a body mass index (BMI) of no less than 30 kg/m2 and 25 kg/m² respectively. BMI mean is the mean body mass index (BMI) in kg/m² of defined population
Availabilities of food types (meat, fats, fruits, fibers and starch) and macronutrients (meat protein, animal protein (excl. meat protein), plant protein, animal fats, plant fats and carbohydrates) are expressed in g/capita/day
Total calories is in kcal/capita/day. GDP PPP is in per capita USD per year. Physical inactivity is defined as the percent of defined population attaining less than 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, or less than 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, or equivalent
^a Partial analysis with controlling for fats (plant oil + animal fat), Fruits, total (total), Fibers (vegetables + pulses) and Starch (cereals + starchy root) and the three potential confounders, calories, GDP PPP and physical activity
^b Partial analysis with controlling for Animal protein (excluding meat protein), Plant protein (total), Animal fats (total), Plant fats (total) and Carbohydrate energy and the three potential confounders, calories, GDP PPP and physical activity

ISSN: 2055-0928