Prevalence of abdominal obesity in Abia State, Nigeria: results of a population-based house-to-house survey

Innocent Ijezie Chukwuonye,¹ Abali Chuku,² Ugochukwu Uchenna Onyeonoro,³ Ikechi Gareth Okpechi,⁴ Okechukwu Ojoemelam Madukwe,⁵ Theophilus Ifeanyichukwu Umeizudike,⁶ Okechukwu Samuel Ogah<sup>7,8

1</sup>Department of Internal Medicine, ²Department of Ophthalmology, ³Department of Community Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Nigeria; ⁴Division of Hypertension and Nephrology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; ⁵Ministry of Health, Nnamdi Azikiwe Secretariat, Umuahia, Nigeria; ⁶Department of Internal Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria; ⁷Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria; ⁸Office of the Commissioner for Health, Abia State Ministry of Health, Umuahia, Nigeria

Background and objective: Abdominal obesity is associated with the risk of developing disorders, such as diabetes and hypertension. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of abdominal obesity in Abia State, Nigeria.
Materials and methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study aimed at ascertaining the prevalence of abdominal obesity in Abia State, Nigeria. Participants in the study were recruited from communities in the three senatorial zones in the state. Screening for abdominal obesity was carried out in these subjects using waist circumference (the National Cholesterol Education Program Third Adult Treatment Panel criteria were used). The World Health Organization Stepwise Approach to Surveillance of chronic disease risk factors was used. Body mass index, anthropometric measurements, and other relevant data were also collected.
Results: Data on waist circumference were obtained from 2,807 subjects. The prevalence of obesity using body mass index in the population was 11.12%. In men and women, it was 7.73%, and 14.37%, respectively. The prevalence of abdominal obesity in the population was 21.75%. In men and women, it was 3.2% and 39.2%, respectively.
Conclusion: The prevalence of abdominal obesity is high in Nigeria, and needs to be monitored because it is associated with increased cardiovascular risk.

Keywords: waist circumference, body mass index, central obesity