Prevalence of central obesity in Nigeria: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives: Elevated waist circumference results from an excessive accumulation of visceral fat, causing an impairment of health. Waist circumference is highly correlated with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. This study aimed to estimate the overall, sex-specific, and region-specific prevalence rates of central obesity in Nigeria. Study design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: Online searches of Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus were conducted, and studies were selected based on predefined criteria. Random effects model was fitted using inverse variance method with correction using Sidik-Jonkman's estimator. Results: Eighteen studies consisting of 21,859 individuals conducted between 1996 and 2021 were included in the meta-analysis. Thirty-nine percent (95% confidence interval [CI]: 25%-54%, I-2= 99.3%) of adult Nigerians are centrally obese (by International Diabetes Federation criteria). This translates to estimated 46.8 million centrally obese adult Nigerians. More than half (54% [95% CI: 39%-68%]) of adult females are centrally obese. This is four times the prevalence in males (13% [95% CI: 5%-24%]). Southern regions have higher prevalence of central obesity than northern regions (48% vs 18%). The overall mean waist circumference in Nigeria is 83.8 cm (95% CI: 80.8-86.8 cm, I-2 = 99.8%, P value is <0.001). Conclusions: Females, urban residents, and individuals living in the northern part of Nigeria have a high burden of central obesity. Public health measures for halting the epidemic of obesity should be targeted at these high-risk groups. (C) 2022 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.