High BMI: an important health risk factor among older adults in Ghana

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
E Yorke ◽  
J Tetteh ◽  
Vincent Boima ◽  
AE Yawson

Abstract Objective: We examined BMI as a health risk factor for self-reported diabetes mellitus, angina, strokes and arthritis among older Ghanaians aged 50 years and above. Design: We analysed the individual-level data from the World Health Organization Study on global AGEing and adult health Ghana Wave 2 (2014/2015). The influence of BMI on self-reported chronic conditions including diabetes, angina, stroke and arthritis was examined. Setting: Households from all the administrative regions of Ghana. Participants: Included 3350 adults aged 50 years and older. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity among participants was 22·8 % (95 % CI 20·6, 25·2) and 13·2 %, respectively (95 % CI 11·5, 15·1). With respect to individual chronic conditions, arthritis emerged with the highest prevalence rate of 7·3 (95 % CI 5·3, 9·9), while the prevalence rate of diabetes, angina and stroke was 2·8 % (95 % CI 2·0, 3·9), 1·7 % (95 % CI 1·1, 2·6) and 1·3 % (95 % CI 1·0, 1·8), respectively. The risk of diabetes among overweight and obesity was over three and two times, respectively, higher compared with participants with normal weights. Overweight and obesity were significantly more than two and three times likely to experience angina, respectively, compared with participants with normal weight. Obesity significantly influences arthritis with approximately two times increased odds compared with normal weight participants. Conclusion: Prevalence of obesity and overweight in Ghana is high and increasing, which poses a health risk at the individual and population levels. Inter-sectorial and multidisciplinary measures in line with the national non-communicable disease policies aimed at curbing this trend are imperative.

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo De Maio Nascimento ◽  
Luiz Gabriel Dantas Pereira ◽  
Phillipe Ramon Nogueira Cordeiro ◽  
Luciana Márcia Gomes de Araújo

Introduction: The study of the nutritional status of the elderly deserves attention, since there is no consensus on the criteria for the evaluation of the Body Mass Index (BMI) of this population.Objective: To evaluate the nutritional status of elderly women practicing regular physical exercises, as well as to compare the World Health Organization (WHO) and Lipschitz criteria to the identification of health risk and to examine their agreement.Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study with 76 elderly women in physical exercise groups in Petrolina-PE. The nutritional status was obtained by the calculation of BMI according to WHO and Lipschitz criteria. The analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the variables, followed by Tukey post hoc. The Kappa statistic established the agreement between the BMI criteria, the Spearman coefficient determined the correlation between BMI and abdominal circumference (AC).Results: Elderly patients aged 60-79 years were classified as being overweight by WHO and eutrophic by Lipschitz. Octogenarian demonstrated eutrophy, according to the criterion of Lipschitz, WHO diverged for this group between thinness and eutrophy. There was a weak agreement between both criteria, Kappa (0.232, p = 0.002) and a strong correlation between BMI and CA (r = 0.722, p <0.001).Conclusion: There was a divergence between the WHO and Lipschitz criteria. The WHO proved to be more sensitive to identifying overweight and obesity and Lipschitz's normal weight and malnutrition. The CA measure was more competent to detect health risk, especially in elderly eutrophic women.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Martins

Keywords: Medical Overuse; Practice Patterns, Physicians; Risk Factors; Risk Reduction Behavior.


2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 246-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roya Kelishadi ◽  
Siamak Alikhani ◽  
Alireza Delavari ◽  
Farshid Alaedini ◽  
Afshin Safaie ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the national prevalence of overweight and obesity, as well as some associated lifestyle behaviours, for the first time in Iran.Design and SettingsThis population-based study was performed in early 2005 as part of the World Health Organization (WHO) STEPwise approach to non-communicable diseases’ risk factor surveillance. Dietary and physical activity habits were assessed by WHO questionnaires.SubjectsThe study population comprised 89 532 subjects aged over 15 years living in the 28 provinces of Iran.ResultsOverall, 50.4% (n= 45 113) of the participants were male and 64.6% (n= 57 866) were from the urban areas. The national estimates of overweight, obesity and morbid obesity were 28.6%, 10.8% and 3.4%, respectively. Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg m−2in men, women, urban residents and rural residents were found in 37%, 48%, 46.7% and 35.5%, respectively. Abdominal obesity was present in 43.4% of women, 9.7% of men, 28.5% of the urban residents and 23% of the rural residents. Overweight as well as generalised and abdominal obesity were more prevalent in the 45–64-year age group. Although there was no significant difference in frequency of consumption of the food groups in subjects with different BMI categories, various kinds of physical activities showed a steady decline with increasing BMI.ConclusionsThe findings of the present study provide alarming evidence for health professionals and policy makers about the very high prevalence of generalised and abdominal obesity in Iran. The unhealthy lifestyle habits, notably sedentary lifestyles in our community, are the major contributing factors for this emerging public health problem.


Background and objective: The increase in obesity amongst adolescents is one of the most important public health concerns in many countries, including the Kingdom of Bahrain. The objective of the current study was to measure the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Bahraini adolescents. This study will aid in a better understanding of the issue and in pursuing preventive measures and campaigns to alleviate the problem. Methods: The weight, height, and body mass index of 9057 Bahraini adolescents was obtained from the Ministry of Health via the nation-wide health electronic file—I-Seha. The final sample consisted of 8463 adolescents; of which 4687 and 3776 were female and males, respectively. References standards from the World Health Organization were used to qualify the adolescents into normal weight, underweight, overweight, obese, and morbidly obese. Results: The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 42.3%. Among females the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 21.5% and 20.8%, respectively, whereas in males. the prevalence was 18% and 24.3%, respectively. The lowest prevalence of overweight and obesity was among males aged 15 years (36.4%) and highest among males aged 12 years (47.4%). While in females the prevalence of overweight and obesity was lowest and highest amongst 15-year-olds (38.3%) and 12-year-olds (48.5%). Conclusion: The prevalence of overweight and obesity is high in adolescents in the Kingdom of Bahrain, especially in the younger age group. This increases the urgency to undertake measures to control the problem in the younger population, in order to reduce serious outcomes.


Author(s):  
Ngangbam Sarat Singh ◽  
Ranju Sharma ◽  
Talat Parween ◽  
P. K. Patanjali

2021 ◽  
pp. 617-677
Author(s):  
Douglas Bettcher ◽  
Juliette McHardy ◽  
Hebe Gouda ◽  
Ranti Fayokun

2021 ◽  
pp. 823-854
Author(s):  
Jagnoor Jagnoor ◽  
Margie Peden

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