PREVALENCE OF OBESITY AMONG ADULT KUWAITIS - A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

OBJECTIVE: The association between obesity and different diseases is well documented, especially with non-insulin dependent diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. To prevent proliferation of these and other obesity-related diseases, and to plan adequate health education programmes for the control of obesity, base-line date are required on the prevelance of this condition. The present study is concerned with this need and its purpose is the determination of the prevalence of obesity among adult Kuwaitis. METHOD: A cross-section of 3435 Kuwaiti adults forms the study sample. Corpulence was assessed from body mass index (BMI kg/m(2)) and the mean BMI (+/- standard deviation) was 28.3 (+/- 5.3). RESULTS: According to the WHO BMI criteria, the prevalence of obesity was found to be 70.2% (Grade 1) and 36.4% (Grade 2) with BMI as > 25 and > 30, respectively, and was significantly higher (P < 0.001) among women. Obesity among Kuwaitis was found to be higher than reported elsewhere in the world.