Prevalence of obesity in the population of East Azarbaijan province and its relationship with demographic indicators

Abstract

Obesity is usually defined as a group of diseases that are caused by excessive accumulation of fat or adipose tissue in the body and affect human health. Obesity is one of the five main risk factors for mortality worldwide. Given the increasing prevalence of obesity and its related complications and the lack of studies on this topic in East Azerbaijan Province, we aimed to design a research project to investigate the prevalence of obesity in East Azerbaijan Province and its relationship with demographic indicators. Methods: In this study, 1500 households living in Tabriz, Marand, Bonab, Osku, and Varzeghan were surveyed. In each household, at least two people (1 female and 1 male) from eligible household members aged 15-65 years were randomly selected and examined. Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured for all patients. The required information about other variables such as age, gender, menopausal status, medical history and medication use was collected using a general questionnaire. Then, they were analyzed with appropriate statistical tests. Results: The age group of 45-55 years was the largest age group in the study population. In this study, 69.1% of the population had a diploma or less education and 52.9% of the population was unemployed. 63.7% of the population was overweight or obese. The prevalence of different degrees of obesity was significantly higher in women (P<0.05). With increasing age, the prevalence of overweight and obesity also increases (P<0.05). The prevalence of overweight and obesity in married people was significantly higher than in single people (P<0.05). Abdominal obesity was significantly higher in women than in men (P<0.05).