Prevalence of Obesity among Adolescents in Ile-Ife; Osun state; Nigeria Using Body Mass Index and Waist Hip Ratio: A Comparative Study

ABSTRACT

Obesity is a global epidemic not just among adults but also among children and adolescents. This study described the prevalence and pattern of obesity among in-school adolescents in Ile-Ife; Osun State using two standard methods; Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Hip Ratio (WHR) with a view of comparing the two methods as well as identifying any correlation between the two methods. Materials and Methods: Five hundred male and female respondents; aged 10-19 years; were randomly selected through a multistage sampling technique from private and public schools in Ife Central Local Government Area. Quantitative data were collected with the aid of a pre-tested; semi-structured; self-administered questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements of respondents; BMI and WHR; were recorded. Chi square and linear regression analyses were used. Statistical significance was tested at the 5 level. Results: The prevalence of obesity was 4.2 using BMI of which 12 (57.1) were females and nine (42.9) were males. There was significant association between sex and BMI; ?2 = 9.490 ( P = 0.020). Using WHR; the prevalence was 37.2 of which 180 (96.8) were females and six (3.2) were males. There was also significant association between sex and WHR ( P 0.001). Weak correlation ( r