Prevalence of overweight-obesity in the adult population of San Rafael del Norte - Nicaragua

Data from the ELIETH-HIFARI study

Abstract

Obesity is an epidemic, being a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the world. The prevalence of general and abdominal obesity in the adult population of San Rafael del Norte, Jinotega, Nicaragua, is described. Methods: The sample comes from the ELIETH-HIFARI study, a cross-sectional study of a noninstitutionalized population (n = 577), conducted between November 2016 and January 2017. Trained physicians made the anthropometric measurements in their homes according to standardized international protocols. Overweight was considered a body mass index ≥25, general obesity a body mass index ≥30, abdominal obesity with values of waist circumference ≥102 cm in men and ≥88 cm in women, and a waist-hip index ≥0.9 for men, and ≥0.85 for women. Results: The prevalence of general overweight-obesity was 70.53% CI95% (66.8-74.25), with a higher prevalence in women (77.43% CI95%: 72.5-81.7) than in men (62.02% CI 95%: 56-1-67.95). The prevalence of overweight reached 42.98% (38.94-47.02), men had a prevalence of 46.12% CI 95% (40.04-52.2) while women 40.44% IC95% (35.05-45.83). The prevalence of obesity (BMI≥30) was 27.55% CI 95% (23.9-31.2), higher in women with 36.99% (31.69-42.29) compared to men who presented 15.9% (11.44-20.36). Abdominal obesity prevalence according to abdominal perimeter was 42.2% (38.2-46.2) and waist-hip index 66.2% (62.3-70.1). The prevalence of abdominal obesity according to abdominal perimeter was higher in women with 59.9% CI95% (54.5-65.3) while for men it was 20.0% CI 95% (15.1-24.9). The prevalence of abdominal obesity in women according to the waist-hip index was 69.6 95% CI (64.6-74.6) and for men it was 62.0% IC 95 (56.0-68.0). Conclusions: The prevalences of general obesity and abdominal obesity in San Rafael del Norte, Nicaragua, is high, especially in women and with a progressive increase with age, particularly abdominal obesity. There are no previous population data that allow a comparison in terms of increasing or decreasing prevalence.