Abdominal obesity in primary care

Abstract

Background: Obesity is one of the important challenge in primary care. Abdominal obesity is associated with future cardiovascular disease when compared to non-obese individuals. The objective was to study the prevalence of abdominal obesity in patients attending primary care physician and to analyse abdominal obesity across different age groups and gender.Methods: The study was done as cross-sectional study at primary care centres in and around Pondicherry. Patients visiting primary care physician were included in the study. All adult patients of age more than 18 years, of both sexes visiting the primary care physician were included in study. Pregnant women, patients with abdomen diseases and patients those who are not willing to give written consent for participation in the study were excluded from the study. Demographic profile, anthropometric measurements were recorded. Abdominal circumference of all patients were recorded using a standard measuring tape. Abdominal obesity was diagnosed when the abdominal circumference was more than 90 centimetres in male and more than 80 centimetres in female.Results: A total number of 1030 patients were included in the study. There were 189 patients in age group 60-69. Females 535 outnumbered males 484. In the age group 50-59, 33 (40%) of males and 45 (44%) of females had increased abdominal circumference more than 90 centimetres in males and 80 centimetres in females. Across all age groups 121 (24%) males had abdominal circumference more than 90 centimetres in the study and 147 (28%) females had abdominal circumference more than 80 centimetres.Conclusions: Abdominal obesity is common at primary care level. The prevalence of abdominal obesity is more in females when compared with males. Hence all primary care physicians have to be stressed about the importance of abdominal obesity.

Central obesity in adult patients with optimal weight in primary health care

“…In the group with optimal weight and central obesity, there was a statistically significant difference in relation to gender and age (p<0.005). Our data were consistent with data from 2017 and 2019 which also indicate the abdominal obesity was very frequent in PHCs, and more so in women than men 29,30 .…”

“…U grupi normalno uhranjenih pacijenata sa centralnom gojaznošću postoji statistička značajna razlika u odnosu na pol i starosnu grupu (p<0,005). Dobijeni podaci su u skladu sa podacima iz 2017. i 2019. godine koji, takođe, ukazuju da je abdominalna gojaznost česta na nivou primarne zdravstvene zaštite, kao i da je češća kod žena nego kod muškaraca 29,30 .…”

Life style characteristics of hospital paramedical healthcare professionals: a study from a tertiary care hospital, Pondicherry

“…Abdominal obesity described as waist circumference more than 90cms in male and 80cms in females, which is considered more significant than general obesity was seen in nine paramedical professionals, of which eight were females. 3,4 …”