Prevalence of obesity, its relationship with socio-demographic characteristics and associated morbidity with respect to hypertension and glycosuria in an urban population of Tanzania
Abstract
This study served to determine the prevalence of
obesity,
morbidity
Obesity,
morbidity
its determinants and its associated
in an urban population of Tanzania.
its determinants and accompanying
in a randomly selected adult population
aged 15 years and over were assessed through
anthropometry, inter·view schedule and clinical
examination . All together 725 subjects were
interviewed, measured and examined.
The prevalence of obesity was 26.5%. Important
determinants of obesity among the population were
income, sex and occupation. Hypertension was the
most important morbidity among the obese with a
prevalence of 31.2% as against 15% among those who
were not obese. To a lesser extent, glycosuria was
important in men aged 25 years and over.
The findings confirmed the investigator's
impression that obesity was indeed an existing
nutritional problem among the urban population of
Tanzania and that hypertension was more common
among the obese.
More studies to ge t a precise prevalence
among urban populations, nutrition education with
treatment for those already afflicted and school
based public health programs as a long-term
preventive focus were recommended.
Citation
Master of science degree in applied human nutritionPublisher
Department of Food and Nutrition Technology