Small-area variations in overweight and obesity in an urban area of Nigeria: The role of fast food outlets

Abstract

Abstract. Overweight and obesity are two related health issues of epidemic proportions. In Nigeria, these health conditions have been emerging only recently. The extant literature shows inter-city variations in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Nigeria. However, they say little about intra-city variations of these health problems in Nigerian urban centres. Thus, the focus of the study was to determine the small-area variations in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in an urban area of Nigeria and its association with socio-economic, environmental, dietary and lifestyle risk factors. With the aid of a questionnaire, information on the demographic, socio-economic, lifestyle, household and neighbourhood characteristics of respondents was obtained from respondents. Overweight and obesity were computed based on the self-reported height and weight of respondents, using the Body Mass Index (BMI) formula. A simple linear regression model was estimated to determine the individual and collective effects of risk factors. Findings showed that there were noticeable spatial variations in the prevalence of overweight and obesity which result from the varying contextual and compositional characteristics among the political wards of the Ibadan North LGA. Physical proximity to fast food outlets was the only significant factor driving the spatial pattern of obesity (b = 0.645; R 2 = 0.416). The paper suggests that government and health officials should formulate area-specific obesity prevention and control plans to curb this growing epidemic in Nigeria.

Determinants of Obesity in West Africa: A Systematic Review

“…Also, there is limited evidence to guide the implementation of these policies. obesity discovered that for every additional convenience store in poor urban settings in Ghana, there was a 0.2kg/m2 increase in BMI, and every out-of-home cooked food place available, there was a 0.1kg/m2 reduction in BMI of residents while the study by Osayomi and Orhiere (2017) 43 on environmental factors and obesity in Nigeria identified that physical proximity to fast food outlets is a determinant of obesity. See tables 4 and 5 for a summary of the review.…”

Geographical disparities in adult obesity prevalence: small-area analysis of the Chilean National Health Surveys

“…Concerning obesity, some studies based on NHS and surveillance records found a substantial difference in the small-area pattern of obesity rates among adults in high-income countries (11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16) and in children (17)(18)(19). Since these studies cross-sectionally estimate obesity rates in smaller areas (20,21), there is a gap of knowledge of the increase of obesity rate among adults, especially in a setting where medium-low income households persist.…”

“Being fat is not a disease but a sign of good living”: The Political Economy of Overweight and Obesity in Nigeria

“…As Osayomi (2019;1160) puts it, "an obese individual is frequently perceived to be well nourished, financially comfortable and erroneously assumed to live a stress-free life". In other words, a person with a slim frame is portrayed as being impoverished; terminally ill and without dignity (Osayomi and Orhiere, 2017;Pus et al 2016). In addition, the worldviews or social constructions among some racial/ethnic groups such as the Yoruba, Igbo and Efik of Nigeria, glorify large body size (Ibrahim and Jegede, 2017;Oe, 2009;Brink, 1989, Osayomi andOrhiere, 2017).…”

“…In other words, a person with a slim frame is portrayed as being impoverished; terminally ill and without dignity (Osayomi and Orhiere, 2017;Pus et al 2016). In addition, the worldviews or social constructions among some racial/ethnic groups such as the Yoruba, Igbo and Efik of Nigeria, glorify large body size (Ibrahim and Jegede, 2017;Oe, 2009;Brink, 1989, Osayomi andOrhiere, 2017). For instance, large body size among the Yoruba ethnic group symbolizes Ìfọkànbalẹ (peace of mind) and is often couched in proverbial expressions which connote the cultural acceptance of fatness, such as ara sísan kì s'àrùn (fatness is not illness) (Ibrahim and Jegede, 2017b).…”

“…In Nigeria where obesity is an emerging public health problem (Akaraolo et al 2014), studies have mainly focused on environmental, behavioural, cultural and population drivers of the increased body size (Kandala and Stranges, 2014;Akaraolo et al 2014;Osayomi and Orhiere, 2017). Studies on the political economy of overweight and obesity in Nigeria are sparse.…”