OBESITY:   A Sign of Good Living?

By

Dr  Murtala Muhammad Umar

drmmu2000@yahoo.co.uk

 

 

 

Obesity popularly known as fatness is seen in our society as a sign of good living. It is a biological marker that differentiates between the haves and the have-nots especially in a social gathering. This is not to say that there are no fat poor men due to probably genetic predisposition, the fatness however, would only increase their hitherto stressful life. Globalization couple with break through in technology has westernized our life styles making us suffer from non-communicable disease such as hypertension and diabetes which obesity predisposes in addition to overbearing communicable diseases.

 

Medically a number of parameters are used to diagnose fatness such as body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], mid arm circumference [in children] to mention but a few. The BMI is calculated by the formulae: weight [in kg] divides by height time’s height [in meters]. Assuming a person’s weight and height are 55kg and 1.6 meters respectively, the BMI is calculated thus [55 ÷ (1.6 x 1.6)] = 21.48. The World Health Organization classifies fatness into overweight [BMI 25-29.9], class 1 obesity [30-24.9], class 2 obesity [35-39.9] and pathological obesity [40 and above] the normal BMI varies with sex being less in females than males, however, in both sexes it should fall between 18—24.9. Another indicator of being overweight or obese is a waist circumference of o ver 35" for females or over 40" for males.

 

Obesity occurs due to storage of excess nutrient in form of fat, in other word, when the input is more than the output. It is quite a common problem in Africa. While the obsessed looks appealing to the poor man, he or she is at risk of barrage of complications. Apart from the hypertension and diabetes earlier mentioned, it can predispose to the development of heart disease, sleep apnea [cessation of breath during sleep], some cancers, infertility, pulmonary/respiratory problems and gall bladder disease.

Okusum IS etal of the Department of preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Loyal University Medical center, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, USA, conducted a research whose objective was to examine the prevalence of abdominal adiposity [excessive deposition of fat in the abdomen] and its association with the prevalence of hypertension among African descent populations in Nigeria, Cameroon, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Barbados, and the United States (US). The result showed that prevalence of hypertension in these populations was tightly linked to abdominal adiposity. Increases in abdominal overweight accompanied an increasing degree of Westernization, rising from 6.4% and 26.3% in Nigeria, 16.5% and 62.8% in Cameroon, 15.8% and 58.6% in Jamaica, 14.3% and 62.1% in St. Lucia, 21.4% and 70.3% in Barbados to 38.9%, and 76.4% in the US for men and women, respectively. The corresponding values for abdominal obesity were 1.6% and 12.3% in Nigeria, 5.1% and 38.9% in Cameroon, 5.5% and 34.0% in Jamaica, 2.7% and 40.7% in St. Lucia, 7.8% and 44.7% in Barbados to 21.7% and 54.1% in the US for men and women, respectively. Body mass index-adjusted estimates of AF [abdominal fat] suggest that in most of these populations, especially in females, avoidance of abdominal overweight or obesity would help to curb the development of hypertension.

Even though obesity may be genetic, environmental factors play significant role in its occurrence. Prevention therefore must include among other things adjustment of life style. It is important to know that the energy requirement of a labourer for example should be more than that of a sedentary worker. Excessive intake of fat must be avoided and where obtainable food with minimal or no fat should be taken especially those with genetic and environmental predisposition. Regular exercise would help burn excess fat in addition to other numerous health benefits. We should regularly calculate our BMI and make necessary adjustment even before seeing our doctors. Alcoholism is another risk factor for obesity. The rich among us should give out their excesses to the poor so that the prevalence of under nu trition can reduce among the later and by so doing reducing obesity in the former. To the doctor both under nutrition and over nutrition are spectrums of same disease known as malnutrition and each need equal medical attention. We must prevent obesity by channelling its excess resources to equally prevent under nutrition.

 

 

 

Dr  Murtala Muhammad Umar , General Hospital Zurmi, ZAMFARA State