Ten-year changes in central obesity and BMI in rural and urban Cameroon.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the 10-year changes in the distribution of adiposity in rural and urban Cameroonian populations.


METHODS
Two cross-sectional surveys of populations in the same rural and urban areas of Cameroon, aged>or=24 years, were carried out in 1994 (1,762 subjects) and 2003 (1,398 subjects) using similar methodology. All eligible subjects answered a structured questionnaire on their educational level, alcohol consumption, and tobacco smoking and weight, height, and waist circumference (WC) were measured.


RESULTS
Between 1994 and 2003, the age-standardized prevalence of BMI>or=25 kg/m2 increased significantly only in the rural area (+54% for women and +82% for men), while the age-standardized prevalence of central obesity (WC>or=80 cm (women), >or=94 cm (men)) increased significantly only in the urban population (+32% for women and +190% for men). These differences persisted after adjustments for age group, alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, and level of education, and within almost all the strata of the studied risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in adiposity over time in Cameroon were characterized by an increase of BMI in the rural area and of WC in the urban area.
Fezeu
Leopold K
LK
Health of Population in Transition Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. fezeu@vjf.inserm.fr
Assah
Felix K
FK
Balkau
Beverley
B
Mbanya
Dora S
DS
Kengne
André-Pascal
AP
Awah
Paschal K
PK
Mbanya
Jean-Claude N
JC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050218:Body Fat Distribution / Q000639:trends*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population