The prevalence and demographic pattern of obesity and its correlates in undergraduates of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike south-east, Nigeria

The study investigated the prevalence and demographic pattern of obesity and its correlates in undergraduates of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, south-east Nigeria, using standard methods in a total of 200 {99 (49.5%) males and 101 (50.5%) females} randomly selected subjects. With obesity cut-off of >27 kg/m2, 22% of the total subjects were obese, representing 9.5% and 12.5% of the male and female, respectively relative to total subject, but 9.19 % and 24.75 % in the males and females relative to total by sex. The highest prevalence was in the 21-23 age group (total = 50.00 %; male = 52.63 % and female = 48.00 %). Based on the body mass index (BMI) cut-off, higher males (94.74%) than females (88.0%) were overweight whereas based on the total body fat (TBF) class, higher females (17, 68.0%) than males (10, 52.63%) were obese. Based on waist to hip ratio (WHPR) all females (but no male) were in the lower risk class. However, high proportion of either sex was in the desired/normal class based on systolic blood pressure (SBP) (Total = 59.09%, female =56.00%; male =.63.16%), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (Total = 68.18%; female = 68.0%; male = 68.42%) and blood glucose level (BGL) Total =65.90%; female = 76.00%; male = 52.63%). Thus, the obesity prevalence was higher in the females and highest in the 21-23 age group indicating apparent risk of developing obesity-related diseases particularly in the females and 21-23 age group of the studied population