Sociodemographic Determinants of Overweight and Obesity in Adults Attending a Tertiary Hospital in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: There has been an increase in the prevalence of obesity in developing countries with a concomitant rise in morbidity and mortality. The sociodemographic factors of an individual may play a role in his or her body weight. This study aims to determine the relationship between overweight/obesity and sociodemographic characteristics among adults attending the Family Medicine Clinic of a tertiary health centre in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive, hospital‑based study. Interviewer‑administered questionnaires were used to obtain the sociodemographic variables (age, sex, social class, highest educational level attained, average monthly income, and marital status). A clinical examination was performed to assess the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist/hip ratio (WHR). Fisher’s exact test was used to test for associations between overweight/obesity and the various sociodemographic determinants and the level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: With the BMI, overweight was present in 32.5% of the study population while 36.6% was obese. The WC was increased (>94 cm and >80 cm, respectively) in 43.5% of males and 92.8% of females. The WHR was increased (>0.90 and >0.85) in 52.2% of males and 80.8% of females. The only sociodemographic factor independently associated with being overweight or obese BMI in this study was the female gender (P = 0.011). Conclusion: No region of the world has been successful at reversing the obesity epidemic once it has begun. This study highlights how sociodemographic factors may influence obesity and measures to modulate this disease can be targeted to certain groups.