Overweight and obesity in Saudi females of childbearing age

OBJECTIVE: Overweight and obesity are among the most frequently encountered multifactorial disorders in most populations of the world. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Saudi females of childbearing age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was approved by the University Scientific Committee. It included a group of 600 randomly recruited healthy females with age ranging from 16-45 y. Four hundred and twenty one were students and 179 were housewives attending outpatient clinics for minor illnesses. Informed consent was obtained, Height and weight were recorded on one occasion. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. RESULTS: Height, weight and BMI showed normal Gaussian distribution in these females and there was a significant positive correlation between BMI and age of each subject (r= 0.505; P less than or equal to 0.001). Prevalence of leanness, normal weight, overweight, obesity and morbid obesity were calculated in the total group and in different age groups. Significant increase in the prevalence of both overweight and obesity occurred with age. Unmarried and married females were compared and the latter had a higher prevalence of both overweight and obesity compared to the former. This difference persisted after taking into account differences in the age of the two groups. Students and housewives were compared but no differences in the prevalence were observed in the two groups. DISCUSSION: The results of this study show that overweight and obesity are frequently encountered in Saudi females of childbearing age. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was higher amongst a group of married women than among a group of single women. There is an urgent need to spread awareness about obesity, its consequences and ways and means of prevention among the females.