title: Unexpectedly high rates of obesity and dysglycemia among villagers in Cameroon.
abstract: Our survey in Cameroon recorded obesity and dysglycemia in inhabitants, which are similar to those reported elsewhere in the region. Typically these metabolic disturbances are attributed to the adoption of a new urban lifestyle including diminished physical activity and an altered ('Western') diet. Unexpectedly we found that, like urban populations, our rural population had high rates of metabolic disturbances, despite living in villages and being physically active and consuming traditional diet that is high in plant sources of food and low in meat. From our preliminary study, we raise the possibility that the environmental elements that are driving the pandemic of obesity and diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa are far more complex than heretofore appreciated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Napoli
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mottini
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arigliani
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Creta
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giua
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Incammisa
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carotti
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sihom
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yimagou
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alombah
authors.forename: Jean Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mbanya
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pozzilli
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000453:epidemiology; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D012016:Reference Values; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose