Obesity and Its Cardio-metabolic Co-morbidities Among Adult Nigerians in a Primary Care Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital in South-Eastern, Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
Obesity once thought the medical problem of affluent countries now exist in Nigeria and has been described as a time bomb for the future explosion in the frequency of cardio-metabolic diseases. The most deleterious health consequences of obesity are on the cardiovascular system and associated disorder of lipid and glucose homeostasis.


OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to determine the magnitude of obesity and its cardio-metabolic co-morbidities among adult Nigerians in a primary care clinic of a tertiary hospital South-Eastern, Nigeria.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study carried out on 2391 adult Nigerians who were assessed for obesity using body mass index (BMI) criterion. 206 patients who had BMI ≥30kg/m(2) were screened for cardio-metabolic co-morbidities. The data collected included basic demographic variables, weight, height, blood pressure; fasting plasma glucose and lipid profile.


RESULTS
The prevalence of obesity was 8.6%. Grade I obesity (67.5%) was the most common pattern; others included grade II obesity (23.3%) and grade III obesity (9.2%). Hypertension (42.7%) was the most common cardio-metabolic morbidity. Others included low HDL-cholesterol (22.8%), diabetes mellitus (15.1%), high triglyceride (12.6%), high total cholesterol (9.2%), and high LDL-cholesterol (6.8%).


CONCLUSIONS
Obesity and its cardio-metabolic morbidities exist among the study population. Anthropometric determination of obesity and screening for its associated cardio-metabolic co-morbidities should constitute clinical targets for intervention in primary care clinics.
Department of Family Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.
Gabriel Uche Pascal
GU
Iloh
Department of Family Medicine, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
Austin Obiora
AO
Ikwudinma
Department of Family Medicine, Ministry of Health, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
Nnadozie Paul
NP
Obiegbu
Adult; Nigeria; cardio-metabolic co-morbidities; obesity; primary care clinic