Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in Urban and Rural Areas of Aligarh

Abstract

Background Overweight and obesity are the major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. There is a need to evaluate the burden of obesity in local population using standardised methodology.

Objectives 1. To estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in urban and rural areas of Aligarh 2. To correlate the overweight and obesity with sociodemographic factors.

Study Design A community-based study.

Setting Field practice areas of Rural Health Training Centre and Urban Health Training Center, Department of Community Medicine, JNMCH, AMU Aligarh.

Study Period 1 year.

Participants A total of 640 individuals from urban and rural areas were included. Sampling: Systematic random sampling.

Statistical Analysis The data were analysed using SPSS 13, percentages and Chi-square test were used.

Results The prevalence of high body mass index (BMI [overweight + obesity]) in study subjects was 40.4% (?23 kg/m²) and 22.6% (?25 kg/m²), respectively, depending upon the criteria used to define high BMI. The prevalence of obesity in the study subjects was 22.6% by Asia-Pacific classification and 5% by WHO classification. The prevalence of high BMI in females was higher as compared to males irrespective of the classification used. The prevalence of overweight was high in individuals belonging to higher SES compared to lower SES.

Conclusion The prevalence of overweight and obesity is showing the increasing trend both in urban and rural areas and calls for obesity preventive management strategies to be harmonised with existing public health policies and programmes for control of all NCDs.