Body size preference among Yoruba in three Nigerian communities.

Following our previous observation of an aversion to weight reduction in Nigerians with type 2 diabetes, we measured several parameters of body dimensions and preferences in otherwise healthy adults in three communities to study the phenomenon further. The study population of 524 participants (304 F) was 99.8% of Yoruba ethnic origin with a mean age of 43.9 ± 17.2 years. Females had a significantly (p > 0.001) higher body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference compared to the males; the values being 24.55 ± 5.5 vs. 21.75 ± 3.71 kg/m(2); 84.98 ± 12.67 vs. 80.92 ± 9.85 cm; 96.32 ± 12.94 vs. 89.36 ± 8.06 cm, respectively. There was a high level of satisfaction amongst respondents with their body size (Kendall's t = 0.52, p < 0.001) which they also predicted with a high degree of certainty even without the prior use of a weighing scale. The relationship between current body size (CBI) and BMI emerged as CBI = 1.22 + 0.32 BMI. In the 41% of respondents who expressed unhappiness with their current body size, there was a strong aversion for a smaller body size and the preference was often for a bigger body figure. Strikingly, many more women than men were less dissatisfied with their bigger body sizes. Stepwise regression indicated that CBI and gender were the two most important variables that best related to casual blood sugar (RBS) among the factors entered. The mathematical relationship between these variables that emerged was: [Formula: see text] where gender = 0 for male and 1 for female. The results suggest that larger body sizes were positively viewed in these communities consistent with our previous observations in type 2 diabetes.

Mobile phone ownership among Nigerians with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: A survey was undertaken to determine the number of individuals who have access to Mobile phones among those attending our Diabetes clinic in order to explore whether this could replace or become an adjunct to street home address as contact information. METHOD: An observer-based questionnaire was administered to capture parameters of interest at the weekly diabetes clinic in order to answer the survey question RESULTS: 130 individuals aged 15-80 years who attended the clinic in the month of May 2008 were surveyed. Eighty nine (89) patients had active Mobile phone and lines while 70.8% of these were females. Strikingly, 37% percent of the study populations were from across states boundaries and other geographic areas but majority reside in Ilorin metropolis where the facility is based. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that over two thirds of those with diabetes attending the clinic had active Mobile phone line and this could be used as an adjunct to or replace street address as a contact particular between patients and their professional care givers.