OBESITY/OVERWEIGHT AMONG HEALTHY ADULT MALES SEEKING EMPLOYMENT IN PAKISTAN ARMY

Abstract

Objective: To calculate the frequency of individuals having overweight / obesity as determined by body mass index.
Study Design: Descriptive study.
Place and Duration: Medical Inspection Room Engineer centre Risalpur and Department of Pathology Combined Military Hospital, Risalpur from 1st March 2010 to 30th September 2010.
Material and Methods: Five hundred males between 17-23 years of age who were physically fit and had height within their 95th confidence interval, were enrolled in the study by non-probability convenience sampling.
Results: Among 500 males, mean age was 20 ± 1.2 years, and age range was 17 to 23 years. Among them 418 cases belonged to rural areas and 82 candidates belonged to urban areas. Ninety seven (19%), belonged to group 1, 347 (69%) individuals belonged to group 2, 44 (8.8%) individuals belonged to group 3 and 12 (2.4%) individuals belonged to group 4. Blood pressure and pulse was recorded under standardized conditions. In group 2 (n= 347) only 8 individuals had BP > 120/80 and < 140/90 mmHg whereas in group 3 and 4 (n=56), 7 individuals had BP >120/80 and < 140/90 mmHg and 2 individuals had BP > 140/90 mmHg, however none of the individual hadany irregularity of pulse among all groups. Among the 500 individuals, a questionnaire was distributed, 93% knew that overweight was related to diseases. About losing weight; 10% individuals replied dieting, 16% individuals replied exercise, 67% individuals replied both exercise and dieting, and 7% individuals did not know the way to lose weight.
Conclusion: Frequency of overweight / obesity was 11.2% among healthy adult males. Comprehensive health
care awareness campaigns involving food intake, regular aerobic exercise and maintaining weight is strongly recommended in younger population so as to promote public health.