Changing Trend of Overweight and Obesity and Their Associated Factors in an Urban Population of Bangladesh

Sumon Kumar Das, Mohammod Jobayer Chisti, Sayeeda Huq, Mohammad Abdul Malek, Lana Vanderlee, Mohammed Abdus Salam, Tahmeed Ahmed, Abu Syed Golam Faruque, Abdullah Al Mamun

International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia..
School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada.

DOI: 10.4236/fns.2013.46087                

Abstract

There is a scarcity of information examining the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the general population of Bangladesh. Thus, the present study aimed to estimate the changing trends and socio-demographic characteristics of overweight and obese individuals among an urban population inDhaka,Bangladesh. The present study included data from 49,532 patients enrolled in the Diarrheal Disease Surveillance System (DDSS) at theDhakaHospitalfrom 1993-2011. Overweight and obese was categorized among under-5 children (n = 508), 5 19 years (n = 96), and >19 years (n = 1330). Data was compared with normal weight and malnourished individuals of respective age strata. The proportion of overweight and obese increased from 0.64% 5.15% among children <5 years (chi-square for trend p < 0.001), 0.80% 6.70% among 5 19 years (p < 0.001), and 3.66% 16.94% (p < 0.001) among >19 years. Among those under-5, males [OR = 1.31 (95%CI 1.08, 1.57)] those with higher socio-economic status [1.99 (1.02, 3.82)], higher monthly mean family income [3.76 (2.41, 5.86)], non-slum residence [2.01 (0.74, 5.51)], high maternal literacy rate [3.66 (2.31, 5.79)], and using sanitary toilet [1.47 (1.07, 2.01)] were at higher risk of being overweight and obese compared to well-nourished and malnourished children. Among individuals 5 19 years, those with higher socioeconomic status and use of sanitary toilet were at higher risk of being overweight and obese. Among those >19 years, additionally males were less likely to be overweight and obese [0.59 (0.49, 0.68)]. Over the last two decades the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Dhaka city has increased at least five folds and it was much higher among those with better socioeconomic status.

Keywords

Bangladesh; Obesity; Overweight; Urban

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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