Magnitude and predictors of normal-weight central obesity– the AWI-Gen study findings

Abstract

Background: Normal-weight central obesity is associated with higher mortality than general obesity as defined by body mass index, particularly in the absence of central fat distribution. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the magnitude and predictors of normalweight central obesity in an urban informal settlement setting in Kenya. Methods: We used data from the AWI-Gen study, a cross-sectional survey targeting randomly selected consenting adults between the ages of 40-60 in two urban informal settlements of Nairobi between 2014 and 2016. Central obesity was determined using waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, visceral fat thickness, and subcutaneous fat thickness. General obesity was determined using body mass index (BMI). Results: About 20.0% of participants in the study had general obesity. The prevalence of central obesity as measured by waist circumference was 52.0%, by waist-to-hip ratio was 53.5%, by visceral fat thickness was 32.4% and by subcutaneous fat thickness was 49.2%. The prevalence of normal-weight central obesity in the study population was highest when measured by waist to hip ratio (38.1%) and lowest when measured by visceral fat thickness (18.1%). Factors associated with normal-weight central obesity as assesses by waist circumference were being female, of older age, and in full-time employment. Older age was associated with normal-weight central obesity as assessed by waist to hip ratio. Conclusion: The findings highlight a significant prevalence of normal-weight central obesity among adults in a poor urban setting in Kenya, pointing to women as a key target group for focused interventions. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish whether there is a link between normal-weight central obesity and mortality in such settings as has been found in other settings. ARTICLE HISTORY

Dietary diversity and physical activity as risk factors of abdominal obesity among adults in Dilla town, Ethiopia

“…Similarly, women had higher measures of abdominal obesity compared to men. Our findings confirm what has been reported in other studies [ 17 , 19 – 21 ]. Likely reasons for this observation include that women are physiologically more predisposed to overweight and obesity due to the changes occurring during the reproductive years, and women have been reported to engage in less physically strenuous/demanding activities in the moderate to vigorous range compared to men in the same setting [ 21 ].…”

Multimorbidity from Chronic Conditions among Adults in Urban Slums: The AWI-Gen Nairobi Site Study Findings

“…Likely reasons for this observation maybe due to women’s physiologic makeup and the changes that occur during women’s reproductive years that may predispose them more to some of the conditions reported in this study such as overweight and obesity [ 28 ]. A study in the same setting also reported that women engaged more in sedentary activities and had higher levels of general obesity and normal-weight central obesity compared to men, which may predispose them to other chronic conditions [ 29 30 ]. Other reasons include women’s greater use of health facilities thus providing an opportunity for an increased chance for diagnosis of illness [ 31 32 ].…”

Visceral obesity and muscle mass determined by CT scan and surgical outcome in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. A retrospective cohort study

“…In our study we found that 19% of the patients with a normal BMI was in fact VO. In literature it is known that 18-34% of patients with a normal BMI has to much visceral fat [22]. In our previously study in colorectal patients 44% of patients with a normal BMI was visceral obese.…”