Prevalence and Family Biosocial Predictors of Abdominal Obesity among Adult Nigerian Africans in a Resource Constrained Setting of a Rural Hospital in Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The variability of abdominal obesity within and across families is influenced by several factors. However, the relevance of family biosocial factors in the variability of abdominal obesity is an important health care challenge that is often neglected especially in this era of personalized medicine. Aim: This study was designed to determine the prevalence and family biosocial predictors of abdominal obesity among adult Nigerian Africans in a resource constrained setting of a rural hospital in Eastern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional analytic study carried out on 3012 adult patients aged 18-91 years who were screened for abdominal obesity using the Third Report of National Cholesterol Education Panel (NCEP) in adult (ATP III) criterion and 350 patients who had waist circumference (WC) ≥102cm and ≥88cm for men and women respectively and met the inclusion criteria were age and sex matched with 350 non-obese, non-hypertensive and non-diabetic control. Family bio-social variables were obtained using a pretested, structured and interviewer-administered questionnaire. Hypertension and diabetes mellitus were defined using Joint National Committee 7 Report on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure and American Diabetic Association criteria respectively. Results: .The prevalence of abdominal obesity was 11.6%. The family biosocial variables significantly associated with abdominal obesity were family history of obesity (p=0.036) and family inadequate dietary fruits consumption (p=0.042). The most significant predictor of abdominal obesity was family history of obesity (OR=2.60, CI=0.95-13.01, p=0.022). The patient with family history of obesity was two and half times more likely to be obese than those without family history of obesity. Conclusion: Abdominal obesity is associated with family history of obesity and inadequate dietary fruits consumption. The interventional control programs for abdominal obesity should consider these risk factors alongside the complex of other cardiovascular risk factors.