PREVALENCE OF OBESITY IN MEN AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH DIET AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Background: Obesity is one of the major nutritional problems in the world as well as in Pakistan. The objective of this study was to find out the prevalence of obesity in males in six socio-economically diverse areas of Peshawar, and its relationship to energy intake and physical activity. Material & Methods: Three urban and three rural areas were selected from District Peshawar to cover the diverse socio-economic variation. One hundred households were randomly selected from all the 4 areas. Male participants who gave consent and were above 30 years of age were selected. A total of 600 participants fulfilled the selection criteria and were included in the study. Data was collected using structured questionnaire and anthropometric indices were calculated using standard tools for measuring height, weight and body mass index. Results: The prevalence of obesity in our male participants was 7% and overweight 34%. The average energy intake in urban areas was 2593 +/- 465 Kcal/day and in rural areas 2433 +/- 425 Kcal/day. The calories consumed consisted of 50-56% of fats, 32-33% of carbohydrates and 11-12% of proteins. Participants who did less physical activity were three time more likely to have a high Body Mass Index, and those who consumed more calories were twice as likely to have higher BMI than those who did not. Multivariate logistic regression showed that high energy intake, living in urban areas and sedentary lifestyle is positively associated with obesity. Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity in males in our set up is 7% and overweight 34%. High energy intake, living in urban areas and sedentary lifestyles are positively associated with obesity.