title: Obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in Saudi adult soldiers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular risk factors among men aged 20 years and above.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved a cross-sectional survey of 2,250 Saudi male soldiers aged between 20 and 60 years residing in a military city in northern Saudi Arabia conducted in 2004. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, and a brief medical history were obtained in a pre-set questionnaire. Serum lipid profile and fasting plasma sugar were requested for all the subjects. A total of 1,079 subjects responded with a response rate of 47.9%. A multivariate analysis was performed to assess the relationship between general obesity, abdominal obesity, and cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over 82% of the subjects were either overweight or obese. Abdominal obesity was found in one third, and approximately half were either current or ex-smokers. The means of anthropometric and laboratory measured risk factors for cardiovascular disease showed a progressive rise with increase in age, abdominal, and general obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has shown a high prevalence of overweight and obesity positively correlated with the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among Saudi adult male soldiers. There is a need for concerted efforts aimed at achieving ideal body-weight together with a reduction in the co-existent risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care and Emergency Medicine, Northern Area Armed Forces Hospital, PO Box 10018, KKMC, Hafr Al-Batin 31991, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. hateemcol16@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Dhafer A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Al-Qahtani
authors.forename: Mohammed L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Imtiaz
authors.forename: Mohammed M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Shareef
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology