The prevalence of obesity among Saudi males in the Riyadh region

Attendees of 15 health centers in urban and rural areas in the Riyadh region were screened for obesity during May and June 1994. Systemic selection yielded 1580 Saudi males for analysis. The mean age was 33.6 +/- 13.5 years and body mass index (BMI) was 26.9 +/- 5.7 kg/m(2). Only 36.6% of subjects were their ideal weight (BMI < 25 kg/m(2)), while 34.5% were overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m(2)), 26.9% were moderately obese (BMI 30-40 kg/m(2) and 1.7% were morbidly obese (BMI > 40 kg/m(2)). Middle age, lower education and joblessness predicted a higher risk for obesity. Patients living in rural areas had greater BMIs than those living in urban areas (P < 0.01). Forty percent of overweight participants did not think they were so. The high prevalence of obesity and the lack of awareness among those afflicted emphasizes the need for community-based programs for preventing and reducing obesity, since weight control is effective in ameliorating most of the disorders associated with obesity, such as Type II non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, sleep apnea syndrome and osteoarthritis of the knees. Young parents who are at risk of developing obesity and who play a central role in perpetuating it in their offspring should be the target of obesity-prevention programs.