Prevalence of coronary risk factors in healthy adult Kuwaitis

Obesity has been shown to be a serious health risk and is associated with a wide range of comorbid conditions, including diabetes mellitus, coronary h eart disease (CHD), gall bladder disease, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers. Studies in Kuwait and other Gulf States indicate that obe sity is prevalent and may be increasing. Previous studies in Kuwait have mo stly focused on the epidemiology of overweight and obesity in children, ado lescents, and young adults. Relatively less is known about the prevalence o f overweight and obesity and its correlates in older adults for whom obesit y may be more closely related to CHD risk. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 9755 adult men and wom en and to determine the relationship of weight to other risk factors for ch ronic disease. For the first time we examine a sample of older Kuwaitis to explore the relationship between high BMI, hypercholesterolemia and hypergl ycemia. One-third of adult Kuwaitis are obese (BMI > 30 kg/m(2)), 4.7% of K uwaiti females have severe obesity (BMI >40 kg/m(2)). BMI, cholesterol, and glucose values increase with age across the life span. Older Kuwaitis have a greater constellation of risk factors for chronic diseases. The results of a multiple linear regression model in which cholesterol values were stud ied, controlling for age, BMI, blood glucose, and sex revealed that age, BM I and sex were significant predictors of cholesterol values. These results indicate that actions to reduce obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and hypergly cemia are needed.