Obesity and associated factors in young adults attending tertiary institutions in south-eastern Nigeria

Figures & data

Table 1: General characteristics of the young adults based on gender

Parameter	Males (n = 742) F (%)	Females (n = 868) F (%)	Total (n = 1610) F (%)	χ^2; p value
Age (years)
18–22	347 (46.8)	482 (55.5)	829 (51.9)	12.79; 0.001^*
22–25	287 (38.7)	289 (33.3)	576 (35.8)
25–30	108 (14.6)	97 (11.2)	205 (12.7)
Level in school
100 Level	242 (32.6)	280 (32.3)	522 (32.4)	1.292; 0.936
200 Level	168 (22.6)	185 (21.3)	353 (21.9)
300 Level	177 (23.9)	219 (25.2)	396 (24.6)
400 Level	80 (10.8)	97 (11.2)	177 (11.0)
500 Level	75 (10.1)	87 (10.0)	162 (10.1)
Monthly allowance
<N5,000	206 (27.8)	242 (27.9)	448 (27.8)	2.13; 0.705
N5,000-N10,000	261 (35.2)	301 (34.7)	562 (34.9)
N10,001-N15,000	110 (14.8)	114 (13.1)	224 (13.9)
N15,001-N20,000	75 (10.1)	88 (10.1)	163 (10.1)
>N20,000	90 (12.1)	123 (14.2)	213 (13.2)

^* Significantly different, N represents unit of currency in Naira, figures in parentheses represent percentages, F represent frequency counts.

Table 2: Mean anthropometry and blood pressures of the young adults based on gender

Anthropometric measurements	Male (Mean ± SD)	Female (Mean ± SD)	p value
Weight (cm)	67.7 ± 9.1	63.9 ± 11.2	<0.001^*
Height (m)	1.7 ± 0.1	1.7 ± 0.1	<0.020^*
Triceps (mm)	15.9 ± 6.8	21.7 ± 8.6	<0.001^*
BMI (kg/m²)	22.2 ± 2.7	23.3 ± 3.9	<0.001^*
Waist circumference (cm)	79.8 ± 7.4	80.8 ± 8.7	<0.011^*
Hip circumference (cm)	93.0 ± 8.6	95.5 ± 8.8	<0.001^*
WHR	0.9 ± 0.1	0.8 ± 0.1	<0.001^*
Systolic BP (mmHg)	121 ± 16	118 ± 37	0.0280^*
Diastolic BP (mmHg)	78 ± 11	75 ± 11	<0.001^*

^* Significantly different between males and females in various anthropometric measurements, BMI = body mass index, BP = blood pressure, WHR = waist hip ratio, SD = standard deviation.

Table 3: Prevalence of overweight/obesity using different anthropometric indices among the young adults

Variables	Males (n = 742) F (%)	Females (n = 868) F (%)	Total (n = 1610) F (%)	χ^2; p value
BMI categories
Underweight	42 (5.7%)	52 (6.0%)	94 (5.8%)	47.914; 0.000^*
Normal	607 (81.8%)	589 (67.9%)	1196 (74.3%)
Overweight	62 (8.4%)	154 (17.7%)	216 (13.4%)
Obese	31 (4.2%)	73 (8.4%)	104 (6.5%)
WHR
Safe	734 (98.9%)	732 (84.3%)	1466 (91.1%)	104.56; 0.000^*
At risk	8 (1.1%)	136 (15.7%)	144 (8.9%)
WC
Safe	724 (97.6%)	632(72.8%)	1356 (84.2%)	333.047; 0.000^*
At risk	18 (2.4%)	236 (27.2%)	254(15.8%)

^* Significantly different between males and females based on obesity indicators assessed, WHR = waist hip ratio, WC = waist circumference, BMI = body mass index, F = frequency counts, figures in parentheses represent percentages.

Table 4: Association of BMI with socio-demographic characteristics of the young adults

Variables	Body mass index (BMI)					χ^2; p value
	Underweight (n = 94) F (%)	Normal (n = 1196) F (%)	Overweight (n = 216) F (%)	Obesity (n = 104) F (%)	Total (n = 1610) F (%)
Sex
Male	42 (44.7)	607 (50.8)	62 (28.7)	31 (29.8)	742 (46.1)	47.91; 0.000^*
Female	52 (55.3)	589 (49.2)	154 (71.3)	73 (70.2)	868 (53.9)
Level in school
100 level	43 (45.7)	393 (32.9)	51 (23.6)	35 (33.7)	522 (32.4)
200 level	21 (22.3)	264 (22.1)	54 (25.0)	14 (13.5)	353 (21.9)	41.82; 0.000^*
300 level	19 (20.2)	292 (24.4)	57 (26.4)	28 (26.9)	396 (24.6)
400 level	8 (8.5)	120 (10.0)	26 (12.0)	23 (22.1)	177 (11.0)
500 level	3 (3.2)	127 (10.6)	28 (12.9)	4 (3.8)	162 (10.1)
Monthly allowance
≤N10,000	61 (64.9)	751 (62.8)	132 (61.1)	66 (63.5)	1010 (62.7)	15.68; 0.206ns
N10,001-N20,000	20 (21.3)	296 (24.7)	50 (23.1)	21 (20.2)	387 (24.1)
>N20,000	13 (13.8)	149 (12.5)	34 (15.7)	17 (16.3)	213 (13.2)

* Significantly different between body mass index categories and socio-demographic characteristics, ns = not significantly different between body mass index categories and socio-demographic characteristics, figures in parentheses represent percentages.

Table 5: Association of BMI with dietary factors in young adults

Variables	Body mass index (BMI)					χ^2; p value
	Underweight (n = 94) F (%)	Normal (n = 1196) F (%)	Overweight (n = 216) F (%)	Obesity (n = 104) F (%)	Total (n = 1610) F (%)
Number of meals
One	0 (0.0)	25 (2.1)	7 (3.2)	2 (1.9)	34 (2.1)	13.02; 0.162ns
Two	27 (28.7)	371 (31.0)	87 (40.3)	32 (30.8)	517 (32.1)
Three	56 (59.6)	689 (57.6)	102 (47.2)	59 (56.7)	906 (56.3)
>Three	11 (11.7)	111 (9.3)	20 (9.3)	11 (10.6)	153 (9.5)
Total	94 (100)	1196 (100)	216 (100)	104 (100)	1610 (100)
Consumption of unhealthy snack foods
≤3 times/week	34 (36.2)	411 (34.4)	82 (38.0)	33 (31.7)	560 (34.8)	13.398; 0.037^*
≥3 times/week	54 (57.4)	686 (57.4)	130 (60.2)	66 (63.5)	936 (58.1)
Not at all	6 (6.4)	99 (8.3)	4 (1.9)	5 (4.8)	114 (7.1)
Total	94 (100)	1196 (100)	216 (100)	104 (100)	1610 (100)
Soft drink consumption
≤3 times/week	17 (18.1)	280 (23.4)	62 (28.7)	27 (26.0)	386 (24.0)	9.464; s0.149ns
≥3 times/week	67 (71.3)	754 (63.0)	133 (61.6)	69 (66.3)	1023 (63.5)
Not at all	10 (10.6)	162 (13.5)	21 (9.7)	8 (7.7)	201 (12.5)
Weekly alcohol consumption
Yes	40 (42.6)	591 (49.4)	99 (45.8)	57 (54.8)	787 (48.9)	3.908; 0.272ns
No	54 (57.4)	605 (50.6)	117 (54.2)	47 (45.2)	823 (51.1)

* Significantly different between body mass index categories and dietary factors studied, ns = not significantly different between body mass index categories and dietary factors studied, figures in parentheses represent percentages.

Table 6: Association of BMI with lifestyle characteristics of young adults

Variables	Body mass index (BMI)					χ^2; p value
	Underweight (n = 94) F (%)	Normal (n = 1196) F (%)	Overweight (n = 216) F (%)	Obesity (n = 104) F (%)	Total (n = 1610) F (%)
≥30 min of exercise daily
Yes	58 (61.7)	728 (60.9)	126 (58.3)	50 (48.1)	962 (59.8)	6.845; 0.077ns
No	36 (38.3)	468 (39.1)	90 (41.7)	54 (51.9)	648 (40.2)
SBP
Hypotension	5 (5.3)	86 (7.2)	16 (7.4)	3 (2.9)	110 (6.8)	88.18; 0.000^*
Normal	58 (61.7)	673 (56.3)	111 (51.4)	39 (37.5)	881 (54.7)
Elevated BP	31 (32.9)	373 (36.5)	89 (41.2)	62 (59.6)	619 (38.4)
DBP
Hypotension	6 (6.4)	76 (6.4)	9 (4.2)	1 (0.9)	92 (5.7)	10.17; 0.000^*
Normal	54 (57.5)	671 (56.1)	120 (55.6)	36 (34.6)	881 (54.7)
Elevated BP	34 (36.2)	449 (37.5)	87 (40.3)	67 (65.7)	637 (39.6)

* Significantly different between body mass index categories and lifestyle variables studied, ns = not significantly different between body mass index categories and lifestyle variables studied, figures in parentheses represent percentages.