HIGH PREVALENCE OF CLINICAL OBESITY AMONG SAUDI FEMALES - A PROSPECTIVE, CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN THE RIYADH REGION

A cross-sectional study of 1385 Saudi females attending 15 health cent res in urban and rural areas in the Riyadh region was conducted during September and October 1992 to determine the prevalence of obesity and its associated factors. The mean age was 32.2 +/- 11.7 years and body mass index (BMI) 29.2 +/- 7.0 kg m(-2). Only 26.1% of subjects were t heir ideal weight (BMI <25 kg m(-2)), while 26.8% were overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg m(-2)), 41.9% were moderately obese (BMI 30-40 kg m(-2)) a nd 5.1% were morbidly obese (BMI >40 kg m(-2)). High-risk groups for o besity were mostly middle aged, multiparous housewives. Patients livin g in rural areas had greater BMIs than those living in urban areas (P< 0.01). Thirty per cent of overweight participants did not think they w ere overweight. The study emphasizes the need for community based prog rammes for preventing and reducing obesity since weight control is eff ective in ameliorating most of the disorders associated with obesity s uch as Type 2 non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, hypertension, s troke, heart disease, sleep apnoea syndrome and osteoarthritis of the knees. The focus of efforts should be directed towards young mothers w ho are at risk of developing obesity and who play a central role in pe rpetuating it in their offspring.