Prevalence of Overweight / Obesity of Adults in Warri Metropolis, Nigeria

Background According to report from WHO the rate of obesity has increased rapidly in developing countries over the past 20years and obesity related diseases have also increased. Therefore the aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in an urbanized metropolis of a developing nation. Methods A total of 420 apparently healthy adults (210 males and 210 females) within the age limit of 21 to 85years were selected in Warri metropolis, an Urban metropolitan city in the oil rich southern Nigeria. A BMI was conducted on each participant and prevalence of overweight and obesity were determined. Results Prevalence of overweight and obesity in this population was 45.7 % and 16.7 % respectively. Prevalence of females overweight and obesity was 50.1 % and 26.1 % while prevalence of males overweight and obesity was 41.0 % and 7.1 % respectively with increase in age as a risk factor for overweight and obesity. Conclusion More than half of the adults population was either overweight or obese with females being more obese than male. There is need for frequent monitoring of BMI and health education for control of overweight and obesity because of the associated health risks.