Obesity is known to result in serious health consequence, yet, there are no known data on its prevalence among the Kalabari ethnic group in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of this disease among the indigenous residents of Kalabari communities in South-south Nigeria. Three hundred and four (

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Aim:Age atmenarchevaries among different populations, and isdependent on interaction between genetic and environmental factors. The aim of this study was to determine the age at menarche, menstrual characteristics and associated factors among adolescent girls in indigenous population in Niger Delta region, Nigeria. Study Design: A cross-sectional study on 903 adolescent school girls from 6 secondary schools in Rivers state selected by multi-staged random sampling technique. Place and Duration of Study: Indigenous ethnic populations in urban and rural (coastal rural and upland rural) areas in Rivers state were surveyed between April and June 2019. Methodology: Data collected with questionnaire: menarcheal age, menstrual and demographic characteristics of participants. Results: Age at menarche was12.10±1.37years, while urban area had11.62±0.13, coastal rural (11.69±0.04) and upland rural (13.24±0.10) years;with early menarche (10%) and delayed menarche (5%). Geographical area, ethnicity and fathers’ occupation significantly (P=0.001) influenced menarcheal age; with Ethnic groups: Ekpeye (12.96±1.36) >Ogoni (12.89±0.71) >Ikwerre (12.43±1.72) >Kalabari (11.69±0.99); Fathers’ occupation: Professionals/public servants (11.82±1.14) and fishing (11.75±0.94) < artisans/traders (12.02±1.36) and farming (12.69±1.45). Menstrual cycle length (days), was 28.04±1.57 (21-35), with majority (91.50%) having 26-30 days; and significantly different among geographical area (P=0.003), and ethnicity (P=0.001). Menstrual bleeding duration (days) was 4.55±1.03 (2-7), with majority (72.1%) having 4-5 days;and is statistically different according to geographical areas (P=0.001), ethnicity (P=0.001), and fathers’ occupation (P=0.14). Dysmenorrhoea was experienced by majority (56.6%) of subjects, and associated with increase in menarcheal age (P=0.01) and menstrual cycle length (P=0.001). Conclusion: This study shows a low age at menarche, with earlier onset in urban and coastal rural areas than in upland rural areas. Ethnicity and geographical area, strongly influenced the menarcheal age and menstrual characteristics of subjects.

The study aimed to determine the impact of solid waste exposure on Cardio-Pulmonary parameters of municipal solid waste workers in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. A total of 314 randomly selected apparently healthy males comprising 169 test and 145 control subjects Participants in the study. Their weight and height were measured and BMI calculated. Also, their systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) and respiratory rates were measured. Results show a significant increase in the systolic and diastolic blood pressures, pulse rate as well as a decrease in peak expiratory flow rate of the test subjects when compared with the control subjects. The effects were found to depend on the duration of exposure as well as on the body mass index (BMI) of the test subjects. We conclude that prolong exposure to solid waste impact negatively on the cardiovascular and lung functions and therefore could predispose to cardiovascular and or respiratory diseases.

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