Overall Prevalence Of Obesity Research Articles

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Obesity in People With Spinal Cord Injury: The Effects of Disadvantaged Neighborhood

ObjectiveTo examine the role of neighborhood in the relation between race and obesity in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). DesignA cross-sectional analysis of survey data from National SCI Database linked with neighborhood data from American Community Survey by census tract. SettingA total of 17 SCI Model Systems centers. ParticipantsIndividuals (N=3385; 2251 non-Hispanic whites, 760 non-Hispanic blacks, 374 Hispanics) who completed a follow-up assessment during 2006-2017 (mean duration of injury, 8.3±9.9y) and resided in 2934 census tracts. InterventionNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresBody mass index (BMI) (kg/m2). ResultsThe overall prevalence of obesity was 52.9% (BMI≥25.0) and 23.3% (BMI≥30.0). Hispanics were 67.0% more likely to be obese (BMI≥30.0 kg/m2) relative to non-Hispanic whites (odds ratio, 1.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.27-2.18), after controlling for demographic and injury-related characteristics. Most of the non-Hispanic blacks (66.8%) were living in neighborhoods with high concentrated disadvantaged index (CDI), compared to 35.0% of Hispanics and 9.2% of non-Hispanic whites living in this similar neighborhood status (P<.0001). After accounting for CDI, the odds of being obese in Hispanics decreased (odds ratio, 1.51; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-1.99). Regardless of race and ethnicity, people with SCI from disadvantaged neighborhoods were 42.0%-70.0% more likely to be obese than those from minimal CDI neighborhoods. ConclusionsNeighborhood characteristics partially diminish racial differences in obesity. Weight management for the SCI population should target those who are Hispanic and living in the disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Leisure-Time Sedentary Behavior and Obesity Among 116,762 Adolescents Aged 12-15Years from 41 Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Rates of adolescent obesity are increasing worldwide, with steeper increases being observed in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Sedentary behavior (SB) has been associated with various physical and mental health conditions. Little is known about the association between SB and obesity among adolescents in LMICs. This cross-sectional study explored the associations between SB and obesity in adolescents from 41 LMICs. Obesity was measured using BMI; SB was assessed through self-report and was considered for all times except when subjects were at school or doing homework. Data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey were analyzed in 116,762 adolescents (mean [SD] age 13.8 [1.0] years; 48.6% female). The overall prevalence of obesity was 4%, and the prevalence of ≥ 3 h/d of SB was 26%. The prevalence of obesity and SB were lowest in low-income countries and highest in upper-middle-income countries. SB for ≥ 3 h/d was associated with higher odds of obesity in 32 countries. This relationship was strongest among low-income countries. Being sedentary for ≥ 3 h/d is associated with increased odds of obesity in adolescence. Future longitudinal data are required to confirm these findings and to inform interventions targeting SB among adolescents in LMICs, thereby reducing the prevalence of obesity.

The Prevalence of Obesity and the Relationship of Food Intake in the Body Weight of Medical Students of Hail University – Northern Saudi Arabia

Background: Obesity is becoming major problems in developed as well as developing countries. Obesity is the major cause of a large number of debilitating and life-threatening diseases such as cardiovascular, metabolic and other non-communicable diseases. The Objectives of this study is to estimate the prevalence of obesity among medical students and the role of food intake among medical students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. 150 Saudi medical students studying at Colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing, and applied medical science in Hail university were invited. Results: The mean age of the study population was 33.5 ± 18.7 years with 33.6 ± 19.2 for males and 32.3 ± 16.9 for females. Males to female’s ratio was 1.00:1.01. The overall prevalence of obesity was 64.7%. Conclusions: The study showed that the prevalence of obesity among the medical students of Hail University is high, which is comparable to the other studies. This indicates the need to encourage a healthy lifestyle, healthy food habits, and a physically active daily routine, among medical students.

The Incidence of Obesity, Assessed as Adiposity, Is Reduced After 1 Year in Primary Schoolchildren by the POIBA Intervention

Childhood obesity is becoming a serious problem, and prevention programs are needed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate, after 1 y, the effectiveness of a multicomponent, school-based obesity intervention program. This intervention, conducted in Barcelona, Spain, was a quasi-experimental obesity primary prevention intervention targeting schoolchildren aged 9-10 y. Participants were assigned to an intervention group (IG) (1464 students) or to a comparison group (CG) (1609 students). The intervention consisted of a 9-session classroom program, 6 weekly sessions of physical education and out-of-school physical activity, and a workshop for families. It lasted from October 2011 to May 2012. Data obtained at baseline (spring 2011) and follow-up (spring 2012) included information on nutrition and physical activity, through 2 self-reported questionnaires, and measurement of weight, height, triceps skinfold thickness, and waist circumference. The cumulative incidence rate (CIR) of obesity was calculated from triceps skinfold measures. A multilevel logistic regression model was fitted to determine the association between the intervention and the CIR of obesity. The effect size of the program was estimated with Cohen's criteria. The overall prevalence of obesity at baseline was 12.7%. At the 12-mo follow-up, the incidence of obesity was 7.8% in the IG compared with 11.4% in the CG (P<0.005), representing 31% fewer new cases of obesity in the IG. The Cohen's d effect size of the program was 0.33. In the multilevel analysis, there was a protective effect of the intervention on the CIR of obesity at 12 mo (OR: 0.7; 95% CI: 0.5, 0.9) (P=0.009). The first Prevención de la Obesidad Infantil en Barcelona (Childhood Obesity Prevention in Barcelona) (POIBA) intervention, targeting children aged 9-10 y, reduced the incidence of obesity as measured by adiposity. The intervention could prevent 1 in 3 new cases of childhood obesity in this age range.

Prevalence of obesity and overweight among office workers of pars special economic energy zone, Assaluyeh, Iran

Objective: The obesity-related costs imposed on the society are astounding. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among office workers of Pars Special Economic Energy Zone in Assaluyeh, Iran. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 294 office workers. We applied a questionnaire to collect demographic factors, Beck's questionnaire was also administered to measure physical activity, and finally, the FFQ questionnaire was applied to determine the calorie intake of participants. Then, some anthropometric indices of BMI, WHR, WC, and BFP were measured and evaluated. Results: The overall prevalence of obesity and overweight among the studied office workers was 79.6% (26.2% obese and 53.4% overweight). Low percentage of employees had normal weight with waist circumference (WC) of 20.7% and waist-tohip ratio (WHR) of 20.4%. After adjusting for other variables, age (OR=31.82, 95% CI 1.046 – 968.26, p<0.047), marriage status (OR=0.020, 95 % CI 0.001–0.752, p<0.035), calorie consumption (OR=1.023, 95% CI 1.012–1.033, p=0.001), and physically activity (OR=0.245, 95% CI 0.074–0.810, p=0.021) were significantly associated with obesity and overweight. Conclusion: Although the study did not include the whole staffs, obesity and overweight were very prevalent among office workers of Pars Special Economic Energy Zone. So, a detailed and comprehensive plan is needed to identify the related causes of such diseases and educate individuals to change their lifestyles. We recommend individuals to have a proper diet and to do regular physical activity as effective solutions to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity.

The Prevalence of Obesity, Technological Device Usage, Physical Activity and their Relationship with Spirometry Indicators among Children in Isfahan City, Iran

Background: The decrease in physical activities following increased usage of computer and digital games has led to serious health consequences in children. This study investigates the prevalence of obesity, cellphone and computer usage and physical activity levels and their relationship with spirometry indicators in Iranian children. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study during 2013 to 2014 on high-school students in Isfahan, Iran. Sample size determined 1,690 students and sampling performed from 10 girls and 10 boy's high schools, based on multi-staged cluster randomized scheme. A research-made questionnaire was developed to complete by students interview and also contact with teachers and parents and measuring height and weight by researchers. If the asthma was probable (based symptoms and examined by physician) the spirometry was performed. Results: Overall 1,622 high-school students with the average age of 12.9 (+ 1.1) years were recruited. Prevalence of obesity and overweight were significantly higher in boys (P<0.05). The prevalence of obesity was 9.5% in boys and 5.3% in girls, and sever underweight was 4.2% and 2.5%, respectively. Cell phone, computer, and digital game usage were significantly higher for boys (P<0.05); while watching television (TV) was not (P=0.400). Of total, 423 students (26.1%) witch asthma was probable and the average of FVC and FEV1 was significantly higher in boys than girls (P=0.001). Conclusion:The overall prevalence of obesity in 12 to 14-year-old students was more than 7% and its prevalence was influenced by physical activity. Spirometry indicators were correlated with physical activity and lifestyle.

High prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and metabolic risk factors in Guatemala: A population-based study

BackgroundThere are no data on the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in general population samples in Guatemala or in other Central American countries. The prevalence and distribution of NAFLD and its associated risk factors were evaluated in a population-based sample of adults in Guatemala. MethodsCross-sectional study of 411 men and women 40 years of age or older residing in urban and rural areas of Guatemala. Metabolic outcomes included obesity, central obesity, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Liver disease outcomes included elevated liver enzymes, elevated Fatty Liver Index (FLI), and elevated FIB-4 score. ResultsThe overall prevalence of obesity, central obesity, diabetes, and MetS were 30.9, 74.3, 21.6, and 64.2%, respectively. The fully-adjusted prevalence ratios (95% CI) for obesity, central obesity, diabetes, and MetS comparing women to men were 2.83 (1.86–4.30), 1.72 (1.46–2.02), 1.18 (1.03–1.34), and 1.87 (1.53–2.29), respectively. The overall prevalence of elevated liver enzymes (ALT or AST), elevated FLI, and elevated FIB-4 scores were 38.4, 60.1, and 4.1%, respectively. The fully-adjusted prevalence ratios (95% CI) for elevated liver enzymes (either ALT or AST) and elevated FLI score comparing women to men were 2.99 (1.84–4.86) and 1.47 (1.18–1.84), respectively. ConclusionsThe prevalence of metabolic abnormalities and liver outcomes in this general population study was very high. The prevalence of metabolic and liver abnormalities was particularly high among women, an observation that could explain the atypical 1:1 male to female ratio of liver cancer in Guatemala.

Secular trends 2013-2017 in overweight and visible dental decay in New Zealand preschool children: influence of ethnicity, deprivation and the Under-5-Energize nutrition and physical activity programme.

Early-life intervention to reduce obesity and poor dental health through early-life nutrition will improve health outcomes in later life. This study examined the prevalence of overweight and obesity and visual dental decay in 4-year old children in New Zealand between 2013 and 2017, and the impact of a nutrition and physical activity intervention programme, Under-5-Energize (U5E), on prevalence of these conditions within ethnic groups and by deprivation. The data set included 277,963 4-year-old children, including 25,140 from the Waikato region children of whom 8067 attended one of the 121 early childhood centres (ECC) receiving the U5E programme from 2014. Purposively the U5E-ECC selected were attended by higher proportions of indigenous Māori children and children living in higher deprivation areas than non-U5E-ECC. From 2013 to 2017, the overall prevalence of obesity, as defined by World Health Organisation criteria, declined slightly but rates of dental decay did not change. In the Waikato region, the prevalence of obesity declined in non-Māori children from 2015 to 2017 and children attending U5E-ECC had lower rates of dental decay than non-U5E children. Binary logistic regression showed that between 2015 and 2017 visible dental decay was more likely in children who were Māori (3.06×3.17), living in high deprivation (1.54×1.66) and male (1.10) but less likely if attending an U5E-ECC (0.83×0.79). Early-life intervention had efficacy at reducing dental decay, and demonstrated that the origins of disparities in health such as ethnicity and deprivation need to be addressed further to break the intergenerational cycles of poor health.

Change in Obesity Prevalence Attributable to Reduction of Sodium Intake in Korean Adults

Background: Sodium intake is considered to be an important risk factor of obesity. In South Korea, sodium reduction policy has been implemented since 2010. The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between sodium and obesity and to investigate the change in the number of obese patients attributable to sodium intake before and after the policy.Method: This study used Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007-2016. We applied logistic regressions to examine association between logarithm of daily sodium intake and obesity (BMI &amp;#8805; 25 kg/m2). We adjusted for demographic factors, health behaviors, and socioeconomic status. We calculated odds ratios and annual attributable number of obese patients stratified by gender.Result: The overall prevalence of obesity was 36.16% and 29.38% for men and women, respectively. There was a significant reduction in sodium intake from 2010 to 2016. The odds ratios of obesity per unit increase were 1.259 (95% CI, 1.163-1.362) and 1.068 (95% CI, 1.002-1.138) for men and women, respectively. The number of obese patients attributable for sodium intake was reduced by 7.3 per 1000people, 2.6 per 1000people in men and women, respectively, since implementation of sodium reduction policy.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that a high sodium intake is associated with increasing risk of obesity. The decrease in the number of obese patients attributable to sodium intake suggests that the sodium reduction policy is effective in reducing obesity.

The relationship between sleep duration and obesity risk among school students: a cross-sectional study in Zhejiang, China

BackgroundObesity has been identified as a major risk factor for a large number of chronic diseases. Understanding factors related to adolescent obesity is critical for prevention of chronic diseases. The associations between sleep duration and obesity among adolescents in the existing literature are controversial. Our study was designed to determine the prevalence of short sleep duration, and assess the association of sleep duration and obesity, among middle and high school students in Zhejiang, China.Methods18,403 Students in 442 schools were recruited and surveyed using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaires. Weighted multivariable logistic regression models were used for data analyses.ResultsThe mean (SD) age of the students was 15.9 (1.8) years. 49.7% of students were girls. The mean (SD) height and weight were 166.2 (8.5) cm and 54.6 (11.1) kg, respectively. The overall prevalence of obesity and overweight were 3.4% (95% CI: 3.0–3.8) and 7.8% (95% CI: 7.4–8.3), respectively. The overall prevalence of short sleep duration among students was 66.0% (95% CI: 63.8–68.1), higher among girls than boys (69.8% vs. 62.1%) (P < 0.0001). The figures for middle school, academic high school, and vocational high school were 59.0, 82.4 and 59.7%, respectively (P < 0.0001). As compared with girls who sleep 8 h per day (reference), the odds ratios (95% CI) of obesity for girls who sleep < 7 h, 7 h, 9 h and ≥ 10 h were 1.97 (1.15–3.38), 1.90 (1.18–3.04), 1.38 (0.86–2.20) and 2.12 (1.22–3.67) respectively, after adjustment for socio-demographic status, lifestyle factors, and mental health. The corresponding figures among boys were 1.45 (0.97–2.16), 1.13 (0.81–1.57), 1.25 (0.89–1.74), and 1.12 (0.81–1.54), respectively.ConclusionsInsufficient sleep is prevalent among students in Zhejiang China. A U-shaped relationship was found between sleep duration and obesity risk among girls, with the lowest risk among those who slept for 8 h, but not among boys. Adequate sleep duration may be an important component of obesity prevention initiatives among adolescents.

Assessment of prevalence of obesity among children of known population: An observational study

Background: Overweight and obesity primarily happen either due to excess calorie intake or insufficient physical activity or both. Hence; we planned the present study to assess the prevalence of obesity among children of known population. Materials & methods: A total of 400 school going children under the age of 15 years were screened during this period. Complete demographic and clinical details of all the subjects were obtained. Weight, height and BMI details of all the subjects were recorded. The BMI cutoff points recommended by the International Obesity Task Force were used to define overweight and obesity. Results: Overall prevalence of obesity in the present study was 20 percent. Significantly higher prevalence of obesity was observed in males in comparison to females. Also significantly higher prevalence of obesity was seen in children above 12 years of age. Conclusion: Obesity is a health problem affecting a significant proportion of population. Hence; adequate screening programmes are recommended for increasing awareness among general population about adverse effects of obesity.

Prevalence and Perception of Obesity Among Sub-Saharan Africansin Korea.

There is a dearth of obesity study among sub-Saharan African immigrants in Seoul, Korea. We investigated the prevalence and perception of obesity among this population. A cross-sectional study involving 211 immigrants aged 20years and above from sub-Saharan Africa was carried out, using a structured questionnaire. Obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0kg/m²) was calculated as the primary outcome variable. The overall prevalence of obesity was 27.0% (men 22.6% and women 36.8%). In a logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, obesity was significantly associated with increased duration of residence. Participants were 4.03 (95% CI 1.63-9.94) more likely to disagree than agree that obesity is a sign of wealth and that it gives respect. There is an urgent need to assess the possible factors predisposing sub-Saharan Africans to obesity and interventions should be designed targeting their lifestyle modification for healthy weight.

Weight Mobility and Obesity in a Representative Sample of the US Adult Population.

Background Despite the attention given to the prevalence of obesity, surprisingly little is known about the incidence or reduction of obesity. We report the 1-year incidence and remission of obesity in a representative sample of the US population. Methods Individuals from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) panel 17 were classified into standard obesity categories at enrollment and one year later. Incidence rates were calculated by age. Results Although the overall prevalence of obesity remained nearly constant, remission rates from obesity (stratified by age) ranged from 11 to 27% while incidence rates ranged from 6 to 16%. For almost all age levels, the proportion of individuals leaving an obese or overweight state was greater than or equal to the proportion who progressed to a more severe level of overweight or obesity. Overall, 36% of adults lost at least 2.5 kg/m2 in the one-year period; only 8% gained 2.5 kg/m2 or more. Individuals less than 25 years of age had higher rates of leaving overweight (23% versus <16%) and obesity (27% versus 24%) classifications than people of other ages. Conclusions Prevalence rates of obesity are well documented in the United States, but incidence is understudied. Public health efforts that target young people with overweight or obesity may yield the greatest benefit.

Metabolic syndrome among overweight and obese adults in Palestinian refugee camps

BackgroundMetabolic syndrome (MetS) is one of the main reasons for elevated cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. Obese and overweight individuals are at high risk of developing these chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to characterize and establish sex-adjusted prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015, 689 (329 men and 360 women) aged 18–65 years from three refugee camps in the West Bank. International Diabetes Federation and modified National Cholesterol Education Program-Third Adult Treatment Panel definitions were used to identify MetS.ResultsThe overall prevalence of obesity and overweight was high, 63.1%; Obesity (42 and 29.2% in women men; respectively and overweight 25.8 and 28.9% in women and men; respectively. The prevalence of MetS among obese and overweight was significantly higher (69.4%) according to IDF than NCEP definition (52%) (p < 0.002) with no significant differences between men and women using both definitions; (IDF; 71.8% men vs. 67.6% women, and (NCEP/ATP III; 51.9% men vs. 52.2% women). The prevalence of MetS increased significantly with increasing obesity and age when NCEP criterion is applied but not IDF. The prevalence of individual MetS components was: high waist circumference 81.3% according to IDF and 56.5% according to NCEP, elevated FBS 65.3% according to IDF and 56% according to NCEP, elevated blood pressure 48%, decreased HDL 65.8%, and elevated triglycerides 31.7%. Based on gender differences, waist circumferences were significantly higher in women according to both criteria and only elevated FBS was higher in women according to IDF criteria. Physical activity was inversely associated with MetS prevalence according to NCEP but not IDF. No significant associations were found with gender, smoking, TV watching, and family history of hypertension or diabetes mellitus.ConclusionIn this study, irrespective of the definition used, metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent in obese and overweight Palestinian adults with no gender-based differences. The contribution of the metabolic components to the metabolic syndrome is different in men and women. With the increase of age and obesity, the clustering of metabolic syndrome components increased remarkably. More attention through health care providers should, therefore, be given to the adult population at risk to reduce adulthood obesity and subsequent cardiovascular diseases.

Differential Risk of Hypertension Among Lean and Nonlean Rural Subjects in Relation to Decadal Changes in Anthropometry

ABSTRACTObjective: Assessing risk of hypertension in relation to decadal changes in anthropometry among cohort of young rural Indian men.Methods: Subjects (n = 140) were measured in 2005 and 2015 for blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), body fat (BF), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and additionally for visceral fat (VF) at follow-up.Results: Decadal changes showed significant (p < 0.001) increase in mean anthropometric measures and in prevalence of overall obesity (BMI ≥25 kg/m2) from 3.6% to 37.1%; adiposity (BF ≥25%) from 5.1% to 40.9%; and central obesity (WHR ≥0.9) from 0.7% to 24.3%. Prevalence of hypertension increased (20.7% to 27.1%) but was not statistically significant. VF correlated significantly (p < 0.001) with decadal changes (Δ) in BMI, BF, WC, and WHR, and the correlations were stronger (r = 0.90, 0.78, 0.84, and 0.56, respectively) for lean (baseline BMI < median) subjects than nonlean (baseline BMI ≥median) subjects (r = 0.68, 0.40, 0.61, and 0.43, respectively). Risk of hypertension was significant (odds ratio [OR] = 11.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.8–42.8) for subjects with higher ΔBMI (≥4.7 kg/m2) compared with those with lower ΔBMI (<4.7 kg/m2) among lean but was not significant among nonlean subjects. This was also true for change in other adiposity indicators, indicating greater vulnerability of lean subjects. Further, among lean subjects, ORs reduced considerably after adjusting for VF, whereas among nonlean subjects ORs continued to remain nonsignificant but showing independent significance for VF.Conclusions: For similar level of change in adiposity indicators, lean subjects were at greater risk of hypertension than nonlean subjects, probably due to higher VF deposition.

Sex-specific role of education on the associations of socioeconomic status indicators with obesity risk: A population-based study in South Korea.

BackgroundNo study of obesity risk for people in developed countries has conducted a multi-dimensional analysis of the association of socioeconomic status with obesity. In this paper, we investigated if education functions as either a confounder or an effect modifier in the association of another socioeconomic status indicator with obesity.MethodsThis cross-sectional study analyzed data of an adult population sample (10,905 men and 14,580 women) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2014). The study performed multivariate logistic regression analyses for three education levels and four indicators of socioeconomic status (i.e., marital status, residential area, occupation, and income).ResultsThe overall prevalence of obesity was 38.1% in men and 29.1% in women (p < 0.001). In men, while education functioned as an effect modifier in the association between marital status and obesity (p for interaction = 0.006), it functioned as both a confounder (p < 0.001) and an effect modifier (p for interaction < 0.001) in the association between residential area and obesity. In contrast, in women, education functioned as a confounder in the association of residential area with obesity (p = 0.010). However, it functioned as both a confounder (p < 0.001) and an effect modifier (p for interaction = 0.012) in the association between income and obesity. A prediction showed that unlike in women, education was positively associated with obesity risk for some socioeconomic indicator groups in men; for example, in a rural resident group, a higher level of education increased the probability of being obese by 19.7%.ConclusionsThe present study suggests the need to examine sex-specific studies regarding the role of education on the association between other socioeconomic status indicators and obesity. This should be considered in planning education policies to reduce the risk of obesity.

Socio-demographic indices of health workers in a tertiary health institution in Nigeria

Objective: To determine the prevalence and pattern of obesity among health workers in LUTH, Lagos. Nigeria.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in sample of 200 Nigerian adults in LUTH, Lagos. Bodyweight, height, waist circumference and blood pressure were measured using standard methods. Overweight and obesity were defined according to the World Health Organization classification. Central obesity was defined according to guidelines of the International Diabetes Federation.Results: The mean age of respondents was 33.6 ± 11.2 years. A total of 106 (53.0%) respondents were females while 94 (47.0%) of the respondents were males. The mean BMI and waist circumference were 23.1kg/m2 and 77.2 cm, respectively, for men and 23.5 kg/m2 and 79.6 cm, respectively, for women. The overall prevalence of obesity was 9.0 % and the prevalence was higher in females (15.7%) than in males (4.4%) and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 38.1%. The prevalence of central obesity was 4.6% in men and 20% in women. Subjects who took much salt in their meals were three times more likely to be obese (Odds Ratio =3.479, P=0.001) and those with hypertension were four times more likely to be obese (Odds Ratio =4.308, P=0.001). Lifestyle factors were the most important risk factors to explain the differences in overweight and central obesity between males and females.Conclusion: This study concluded that the prevalence of obesity is on the increase and lifestyle risk factors are contributory. Lifestyle may be the main reason for differences in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among health workers.

Comparison of Different Methods for Assessing Overall and Abdominal Obesity among Adolescents in Ibadan Northwest Local Government Area, Ibadan, Oyo State

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the level of agreement among CDC BMI percentile, WHO BMI Z-scores and IOTF criteria for the assessment of overall obesity and also among the waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, and waist to height ratio criteria for the assessment of abdominal obesity. Methods: The study involved 602 adolescents identified by multistage sampling method from selected communities. Overall obesity was determined using the CDC BMI percentile, IOTF and WHO BMI Z score criteria while abdominal obesity was assessed using the WC, WHR, and WHtR. Weight category was divided into underweight, normal, overweight and obesity while the measurement of abdominal adiposity was classified as normal and abdominal obesity. Agreement among the different methods was determined using Kappa coefficient. Results: The prevalence of overall obesity was 18 (3%), 17 (2.8%) and 6 (1%) using the CDC BMI percentile, WHO Z score, and the IOTF criteria respectively while the prevalence of abdominal obesity was 2.3%, 9.6% and 29.1% using the WC, WHtR and WHR respectively. For the classification of overall obesity, the agreement between the criteria of CDC and WHO BMI Z score was the highest (K=0.76) and the lowest was between IOTF and WHO (K=0.244). For abdominal obesity, the agreement between WC and WHtR K=0.365) while agreement between WC and WHR gave the lowest K=0.088. Conclusion: The highest level of agreement for overall obesity determination obtained was between CDC BMI percentile and WHO BMI Z score while only a moderate agreement was observed between WC and WHtR.

Screening University Students for Rheumatic Heart Disease

Introduction: Screening using echocardiography is currently recognized as the state of art tool for early detection of Rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Unfortunately, primary and periodic examination freshman university students, does not include examination of the heart via echocardiography. Aim: To screen freshman medical students for RHD and other risk factors that can aggravate the progression of the heart disease. Methods: Freshman (first year) medical students were exposed to full cardiovascular examination. Four hundred students were targeted only 150 completed the exam. All students underwent a full anthropometric assessment for weight, height and Body mass index and screening for high blood pressure. A full cardiac exam was done for 100 students using a portable echocardiography machine. Results: Overall prevalence of obesity and overweight was 6.7% and 11.3% respectively. Pre-hypertension and hypertension were detected in 10.7% and 8% respectively. By echocardiography exam, mitral valve prolapse was detected in 4 (4%) and RHD in 3 students (3%) which was mostly mitral regurgitation was the main lesion in 100% of the cases. There was a direct positive significant correlation between overweight, obesity and hypertension at P<0.001. Conclusion: Screening for cardiovascular disease for freshman student is important to reveal hidden cardiovascular disease. Echocardiography is helpful tool in early identification of silent disease.

Comparison of Different Methods for Assessing Overall and Abdominal Obesity among Adolescents in Ibadan Northwest Local Government Area, Ibadan, Oyo State

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the level of agreement among CDC BMI percentile, WHO BMI Z-scores and IOTF criteria for the assessment of overall obesity and also among the waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, and waist to height ratio criteria for the assessment of abdominal obesity. Methods: The study involved 602 adolescents identified by multistage sampling method from selected communities. Overall obesity was determined using the CDC BMI percentile, IOTF and WHO BMI Z score criteria while abdominal obesity was assessed using the WC, WHR, and WHtR. Weight category was divided into underweight, normal, overweight and obesity while the measurement of abdominal adiposity was classified as normal and abdominal obesity. Agreement among the different methods was determined using Kappa coefficient. Results: The prevalence of overall obesity was 18 (3%), 17 (2.8%) and 6 (1%) using the CDC BMI percentile, WHO Z score, and the IOTF criteria respectively while the prevalence of abdominal obesity was 2.3%, 9.6% and 29.1% using the WC, WHtR and WHR respectively. For the classification of overall obesity, the agreement between the criteria of CDC and WHO BMI Z score was the highest (K=0.76) and the lowest was between IOTF and WHO (K=0.244). For abdominal obesity, the agreement between WC and WHtR K=0.365) while agreement between WC and WHR gave the lowest K=0.088. Conclusion: The highest level of agreement for overall obesity determination obtained was between CDC BMI percentile and WHO BMI Z score while only a moderate agreement was observed between WC and WHtR.