Central obesity, not BMI explains cardio-metabolic risks among university employees, Ethiopia – a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Evidence suggests that the middle and low-income countries such as Ethiopia are facing the growing epidemic of both communicable and non-communicable diseases creating burden on the healthcare system. The increasing prevalence is attributed to sedentarism, lifestyle changes and the presence of other cardio-metabolic risk factors. Therefore this study was designed to assess the prevalence and association of overweight, obesity, and cardio metabolic risks and to explore if there was any agreement among the anthropometric measurements among the academic employees of the University of Gondar, Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted using the WHO stepwise approach and recommendations on 381 academic staff of the university. In addition, physical measurements such as weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, and biochemical measures such as blood pressure and fasting blood glucose level (peripheral blood samples by finger puncture) were measured using standardized tools. Result: The mean age of the participants was 33.5 years. The prevalence of obesity among the study participants defined by body mass index, waist circumference, waist height ratio and waist hip ratio was 13.1%, 33.6%, 51.9% and 58.5% respectively. The prevalence of diabetes was 4.7% among which 1.3% was not diagnosed prior to this study. About 53 (13.9%) of the study sample were found to be hypertensive (6.3% known versus 29 7.6% newly diagnosed). Among the participants 39.4% and 23.4% were found to be pre hypertensive and pre diabetic respectively. WC was significantly associated with HTN (AOR = 5.14; 2.50, 9.72), pre-DM (AOR = 4.03; 2.974, 5.96), DM (AOR = 3.29; 1.09, 6.01). In addition, WHtR was significantly associated with Pre-HTN (AOR = 2.69; 1.49, 4.58), HTN (AOR = 2.06; 1.01, 6.31), and DM (AOR = 1.85; .76, 4.32). Conclusion: This study results revealed the variable prevalence between general obesity and the anthropometric indices (IDF cutoff) defining central obesity; WC, WHtR, and WHR among the participants. The result of this study suggests that the constructs of central obesity, not BMI has to be used to screen risks of cardio-metabolic risks among Ethiopians. Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Hypertension, pre-hypertension, pre-diabetes, Ethiopia

Magnitude of central obesity and associated factors among adults working in government offices in Bedele town, Buno Bedele zone, Southwest Ethiopia

“…The overall magnitude of central obesity among the study office workers was 54.7% (5% CI = 50.1%, 59.8%). The prevalence of central obesity in this study was in line with the finding from the studies conducted in Wolaita Sodo 52.7%, 42 Gondar 58.5%, 43 and southwestern Nigeria 56.8%. 44…”

“…The overall magnitude of central obesity among the study office workers was 54.7% (5% CI = 50.1%, 59.8%). The prevalence of central obesity in this study was in line with the finding from the studies conducted in Wolaita Sodo 52.7%, 42 Gondar 58.5%, 43 and southwestern Nigeria 56.8%. 44 However, our finding was higher than the studies conducted in Dodoma region of Tanzania 24.88%, 20 Jimma University Teaching hospital 26%, 24 and the study in Addis Ababa 49.4%.…”

Prevalence of central obesity and its associated risk factors among adults in Southeast Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study

“…In Ethiopia, epidemiological studies regarding the prevalence, distribution, and determinants of obesity are meager. More specifically, few studies have assessed the prevalence and risk factors of central (abdominal) obesity [34][35][36][37][38][39], a superior predictor of NCDs. The prevalence reported in the aforementioned previous studies ranges from 15.5% in the northern part of Ethiopia [36] to 37.4% in southwest Ethiopia [39].…”

Prevalence of central obesity and its associated risk factors among adults in Southeast Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study

“…In Ethiopia, epidemiological studies regarding the prevalence, distribution, and determinants of obesity are meager. More specifically, few studies have assessed the prevalence and risk factors of central (abdominal) obesity (34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39), a superior predictor of NCDs. The prevalence reported in the aforementioned previous studies ranges from 15.5% in the northern part of Ethiopia (36) to 37.4% in southwest Ethiopia (39).…”