Calculated Risk Factors on the 1999 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Data File

Note: Variables that begin with an underscore (eg. _RFHYPE2)  are calculated from questionnaire variables. The preceding matrix identifies the variables used in the calculations.   Exceptions are RACE--which is calculated from ORACE and HISPANIC-- and _STATE, _PSU, and _RECORD--which are determined before the interview. 

 A number of calculated variables are used for purposes of weighting data and reflect sample design and other information, and are therefore not included in the text below.  The weighting/sample design  variables are: _RACEG_, _AGEG_, _SEXG_, _CSA, _DENSTR, _DENWT, _IMPAGE,_MSACODE, _GEOWT, _POSTSTR,_RAW,_RECORD,_REGION,_STRATA,_STSTR, and _WT1, _FINALWT.

Hypertension Awareness

_RFHYPE2

At Risk:	Respondents who had their blood pressure checked and were told their blood pressure is high by a health professional.  

Not At Risk:	Respondents who had their blood pressure checked and were not told their blood pressure is high.

NA/Refused:	Respondents who report they "don't know" if they were told if their blood pressure is high and those who "refused" to answer the question or the response is missing.

_BPCHECK

At Risk:	Respondents who did not have their blood pressure checked within the past two years.

Not At Risk:   Respondents who had their blood pressure checked within the past two years.

NA/Refused:	Respondents who “don't know" if they had their blood pressure checked by a health professional or those who "refused" to respond or the response is missing.

Cholesterol Screening

 _CHOLCHK

At Risk:	Respondents who did not have their cholesterol checked within the past five years and respondents who never had their cholesterol checked.

Not At Risk:   Respondents who had blood their cholesterol checked.

NA/Refused:	Respondents who "don't know" if they had their blood pressure checked by a health professional or those who "refused" to respond or the response is missing.

Fruits and Vegetables

_FRTINDX	(Index of Fruit & Vegetable Consumption- 4 levels)
At Risk:	Less than one serving per day or never; One serving to less than three servings per day; Three to less than five servings per day

Not At Risk:	Five or more servings per day

NA/Refused:	Respondents who “don’t know” or refused to answer the fruit and vegetable questions or responses are missing to any of the questions prohibiting calculation of the daily servings level.

Overweight

_RFOBESE

Respondents who are at or above 120% of ideal weight are described as overweight.  Ideal weight is defined as the mid‑value of a medium frame person from the 1959 Metropolitan Height/Weight tables:

  Males                        Females
 Height (in.) Weight      Height (in.)  Weight
            57         112               52         92
            58         115               53         94
            59         118               54         97
            60         121               55         99
            61         124               56        102
            62         127                57        104
            63         130                58        107
            64         133                59        110
            65         137                60        113
            66         141                61        116
            67         145                62        120
            68         149                63        123
            69         153                64        128
            70         158                65        132
            71         162                66        136
            72         167                67        140
            73         171                68        144
            74         176                69        148
            75         181                70        152
            76         186                71        155
            77         191                72        159
            78         197                73        163
            79         202                74        167

Based on the respondent's height (converted to inches), the weight is divided by the ideal weight from the table and multiplied by 100.  Formula (for a given sex and height):  percent = 100. * weight / ideal weight

At Risk:	Respondents who are at or above 120% of their ideal weight.

Not At Risk:	Respondents who are less than 120% of their weight values.

NA/Refused:	Respondents whose weight or height is unknown or those who refused to answer either question or responses are missing.
 _WTFORHT   (Weight for Height Percent of Median) 

Respondents whose reported height and weight are assigned a percent relative to their ideal weight.  Ideal weight is defined as the mid‑value of a medium frame person from the 1959 Metropolitan Height/Weight tables:

     Males                        Females
Height  Weight    Height  Weight
 (in.)		         (in.)
 57         112             52       92
 58         115             53       94
 59         118             54       97
 60         121             55       99
 61         124             56      102
 62         127             57      104
 63         130             58      107
 64         133             59      110
 65         137             60      113
 66         141             61      116
 67         145             62      120
 68         149             63      123
 69         153             64      128
 70         158             65      132
 71         162             66      136
 72         167             67      140
 73         171             68      144
 74         176             69      148
 75         181             70      152
 76         186             71      155
 77         191             72      159
 78         197             73      163
 79         202             74      167

Based on the respondent's height (converted to inches), the weight is divided by the ideal weight from the table and multiplied by 100.    Formula (for a given sex and height):  percent = 100. * weight / ideal weight.   Records missing  height or a weight are assigned the code '99999' (2 implied decimal places). *Contact Dr. David Williamson (404 639‑3137) for more information.

_RFWHBMI	(Weight for Height using Body Mass Index)

Body mass index is computed as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared:  (weight / height **2). _BMI is an intermediate variable used in calculating this measure.

At Risk:	Females with body mass index greater than or equal to 27.3 and males with body mass index greater than or equal to 27.8.

Not At Risk:	Females with body mass index less than 27.3 percent and males with body mass index less than 27.8.

NA/Refused:	Respondents who "didn't know" their height or weight values or those who "refused" to answer either question or response to either question is missing.

Tobacco Consumption

_RFSMOK2

At Risk:	Respondents who smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and now smoke.

Not at Risk:	Respondents who have not smoked 100 cigarettes in their lifetime or respondents who have smoked 100 cigarettes in their lifetime but currently do not smoke.

NA/Refused:	Respondents who report they "don't know" if they have smoked 100 cigarettes or "refused" to answer the questions or response missing to either question.

_SMOKER2	(Smoker Status- 4 levels)

Current Smoker (every day):	Respondents who have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in lifetime, and now smoke every day.

Current Smoker (some days):	Respondents who have smoked 100 cigarettes in lifetime, and currently smoke some days.

Former Smoker:	Respondents who have smoked 100 cigarettes in lifetime but currently do not smoke.

Never Smoked:	Respondents who have never smoked 100 cigarettes in lifetime.

NA/Refused:	Respondents who "don't know" if they have smoked 100 cigarettes or "refused" to answer the question, or those who have smoked 100 cigarettes in lifetime but refused to indicate whether they smoke now or response is missing.

Smokeless Tobacco

_RFTOBAC

At Risk:	Respondents who have used smokeless tobacco products and currently use smokeless tobacco products.
 
Not at Risk:	Respondents who have not used smokeless tobacco products or respondents who have used smokeless tobacco products, but currently do not use smokeless tobacco products.

NA/Refused:	Respondents who "don't know" if they have used or currently use smokeless tobacco products, or "refused" to answer the questions, or responses are missing.

_SMKLESS	(Smokeless Tobacco User Status- 3 levels)

Current User:	Respondents who have used smokeless tobacco products and currently use smokeless tobacco products.

Former User:	Respondents who have used smokeless tobacco products, but currently do not use smokeless tobacco products.

Never Used:	Respondents who have never used smokeless tobacco products.

NA/Refused:	Respondents who  "don't know" if they have used or currently use smokeless tobacco products, or "refused" to answer the questions, or response are missing responses.

Alcohol Consumption

_RFDRACU  (Acute or Binge Drinking)
At Risk:	Respondents who report they had alcoholic beverages in the past month and had five or more alcoholic drinks on one or more occasions in the past month.

Not at Risk:	Respondents who did not have alcoholic beverages in the past month or respondents who did not have five or more drinks on an occasion.

NA/Refused:	Respondents who report they "don't know" if they had five or more drinks on an occasion or those who "refused" to answer either question.  Respondents with missing data values are also coded as "refused".

_RFDRDRI ( Drinking and Driving)

At Risk:	Respondents who had alcoholic beverages in the past month and have driven after having too much to drink one or more times in the past month.      
Not at Risk:	Respondents who did not have alcoholic beverages in the past month or respondents who report they had alcoholic beverages in the past month but did not drive a car after having too much to drink.

NA/Refused:	Respondents who "don't know" if they have driven after having too much to drink or respondents who refused to answer either question.  Respondents with missing data values are also coded as "refused".

_RFDRCHR (Chronic Drinking)

Derived by calculating the total number of drinks consumed per month:  number of drinks per month = (number of days * number of drinks) * frequency / where 4= (weekly) or 1= (monthly).

At Risk:	Respondents who report they had on the average two or more drinks per day (i.e., 60 or more drinks a month (based on the total number of drinks per month).  

Not at Risk:	Respondents who did not have alcoholic beverages in the past month or respondents who did not have greater than 60 drinks a month (based on total number of drinks per month).

NA/Refused:	Respondents who "don't know" how many days a week they drank alcoholic beverages  or "don't know" how many drinks they drank on the average or respondents who "refused" to answer one or all of the alcohol questions.  Respondents with missing data values are also coded as "refused".

_DRNKMO ( Total Alcoholic Drinks A Month) 

 Derived by calculating the total number of drinks consumed per month:  number of drinks per month = (number of days * number of drinks) * frequency / where 4= (weekly) or 1= (monthly).  Respondents who did not drink alcoholic beverages in the past month are assigned the code '8888'.  Respondents who refused or did not know the quantity consumed or response missing are assigned the code '9999'.

Physical Inactivity/Activity 

See article "Description of the Scoring System for the Physical Activity Questions of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System" written by Carl Caspersen, PhD (770/488‑5513) or computation of the scoring system (activity levels):

_TOTINDX (Index of Physical Activity - 4 levels) 

Physically Inactive (formerly labeled Sedentary from 1984 to 1991):   Respondents reporting no physical activity.  Measures Year 2000 Objective 1.5.

Irregular Activity:	Any physical activity or pair of activities done for less than 20 minutes or less than three times per week.

Regular Activity:	Any physical activity or pair of activities done for a total of 20 or more minutes three or more times per week, less than 50% of capacity that does not meet the Year 2000 objective.

Regular and Vigorous Activity:	Any physical activity or pair of physical activities that requires rhythmic contraction of large muscle groups at 50% of functional capacity for 20 or more minutes three or more times per week.  Measures Year 2000 Objective 1.4.

_RFLIFES	(No or Irregular Physical Activity)

At Risk:	Respondents who report no physical activity or who reported a physical activity or pair of activities that were done for 20 minutes or less, fewer than three times per week.

Not at Risk:	Respondents who report physical activity or pair of activities done for a total of more than 20 minutes, three or more times per week.

NA/Refused:	Respondents who report they "don't know" if they have participated in any physical activity during the past month or respondents who "refused" to answer  related physical activity questions.  Respondents with missing data values are also coded as "refused".

_RFEGUL ( Regular and Sustained Activity Level)

At Risk:	Respondents who report physical activity or pair of physical activities that were done for 30 minutes or more per session, five or more times per week, regardless of intensity. Measures Year 2000 Objective 1.3.

Not at Risk:	Respondents who report no physical activity or pair of physical activities that were done for less than 30 minutes and/or fewer than five times per week.

NA/Refused:	Respondents who report they "don't know" if they have participated in any physical activity during the past month or respondents who "refused" to answer  related physical activity questions.  Respondents with missing data values are also coded as "refused".

Demographics

RACE (Race/ethnicity)

Beginning in 1995, respondents reporting Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native race who also state they are Hispanic are coded as Hispanic.  The race question and the Hispanic question are used to create the new race variable.  The new race variable includes Hispanic categories. 

White Non-Hispanic:	Respondents who report they are white but not of Hispanic origin.  01 = if race=1 and Hispanic origin=2, 7 or 9
	
Black Non-Hispanic:	Respondents who report they are black but not of Hispanic origin.  02 = if race=2 and Hispanic origin=2, 7 or 9

White Hispanic:	Respondents who report they are white and of Hispanic origin.  03 = if race=1 and Hispanic origin=1

Black Hispanic:  	Respondents who report they are black and of Hispanic origin.  04 = if race=2 and Hispanic origin=1

Other Hispanic:	Respondents who report they are of other race, as well as those respondents who "don't know" their race or "refused" to give their race and are also of Hispanic origin.  05 = if race = 6, 7, 8 or 9  missing and Hispanic=1

Asian or Pacific Islander:	 Respondents who report they are Asian or Pacific Islander and not of  Hispanic origin.  06 = if race=3 and Hispanic =2, 7or 9.

American Indian, Alaska Native:	Respondents who report they are American Indian/Alaska Native  and not of Hispanic origin.  07 = if race=4 and Hispanic= 2, 7 or 9.

Other:		Respondents who report they are of some other race group not listed in the question responses and are not of Hispanic origin.  08 = if race=5 and Hispanic=2, 7 or 9.

Don't know/Not sure:	Respondents who "don't know" their race and "don't know" if they are of Hispanic origin.  77 = if race=7 or race value is missing and Hispanic=2,  7 or 9 or Hispanic value missing.

Refused:	Respondents who "refused" to give their race and are not of Hispanic origin or "don't know" if they are of Hispanic origin or "refused" to give the information.  99 = if race=9 and Hispanic=2, 7 or 9 or Hispanic value missing.

_RACEG

White, Non-Hispanic:		 Respondents who report they are white but not of Hispanic origin.  01 = if  race=1 and Hispanic origin=2 Non-White or Hispanic

Don’t Know, Refused, Missing:	Respondents who "don't know" their race and "don't know" whether they are of Hispanic origin.  77 = if race=7 or race value is missing and Hispanic=2 or 7 or value is missing;  or those who "refused" to give their race and are not of Hispanic origin or "don't know" if they are of Hispanic origin or "refused" to give the information.  99 = if race=9 and Hispanic=2 or Hispanic=7 or Hispanic=9 or Hispanic value is missing.