title: Trends in overweight or obesity and other anthropometric indices in adults aged 18-60 years in western Saudi Arabia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased considerably in Saudi Arabia in the past two decades. We conducted this study because to examine trends in weight gain with age and related anthropometric measurements in Saudi Arabia such data are limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine trends in overweight and obesity and examine anthropometric indices by age group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analytical cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Universities, malls, and hospitals in the cities of Mecca, Jeddah, and Al-Taif.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were selected by convenience sampling. Body weight, body fat percentage, visceral fat percentage, and skeletal muscle percentage were measured with the Omron body composition monitor device. Waist circumference, height, and body mass index (BMI) were also measured.
  
  
  METHODS
  Changes in BMI, body fat percentage, visceral fat percentage, and skel-etal muscle with age for both genders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We selected 2548 Saudis, 1423 males and 1125 females, aged 18 to 60 years. A significant trend (ptrend < .001) for BMI and all anthropometric indices was observed with age for both genders. About 55.1% of the participants were overweight and obese (BMI > 25 kg/m2). Obesity and overweight were more prevalent in men than in women and was observed early in both genders, at the ages of 18-19 in men and 30-39 years for women. In the age range of 40-60 years, muscle mass dropped significantly (P < .05) for both genders. Mean waist circumference and visceral fat were significantly (P < .001) higher in men than in women, but the mean total body fat percentage was higher in females than in males (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant trends were observed for BMI, WC, body fat, visceral fat, and muscle mass for both genders with age. National programs should be maintained to encourage physical activity and weight reduction as well as focusing on obesity-related lifestyle and behaviors at early ages to prevent weight gain and possibly muscle wasting with age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was an unequal distribution in numbers of subjects between study groups. Convenience sampling was used to recruit the participants.
authors.affiliation: Prof. Firas Sultan Azzeh, Department of Clinical Nutrition,, Umm Al-Qura University,, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia, T: +966-540833661, F: +966-25720000-4227, fsazzeh@uqu.edu.sa, ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1400-5465.
authors.forename: Firas Sultan
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Azzeh
authors.forename: Hassan Mazzhar
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Bukhari
authors.forename: Eslam Ahmed
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Header
authors.forename: Mai Adil
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ghabashi
authors.forename: Salma Saad
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Al-Mashi
authors.forename: Nafeesah Mohammed
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Noorwali
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult