Abstract:

nd: Recently, there have been reports of increasing incidences of shift in body weight pattern in Nigeria from underweight to overweight and obese individuals. This is a serious healthcare issue as obesity is a risk factor for many non-communicable diseases. Hence, this research aims to study the prevalence of obesity in Idema, a rural community in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Method: A cross sectional survey design was carried out on 81 subjects of Idema Community using the body mass index (BMI) to determine their obesity profile. Result: It was found that 11 (13.58%) of the participants were obese, 18 (22.23%) were overweight, 39 (48.14%), were normal weight, 13 (16.05%) were underweight. A mean BMI of 23.27+ 5.56 S.D. (which lies within the normal weight range) for the study population was observed. Conclusion: Although, there were cases of obesity in Idema, it is not prevalent in the community. Nevertheless, since obesity is a burgeoning public health issue in rural areas in Nigeria, it is important that it is addressed urgently before its incidence rises.

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