Prevalence and Contributing Factors of Overweight and Obesity in Lahore

Background: Obesity and overweight is a condition which is highly prevalent in both developed and developing countries. Limited data available in Pakistan regarding the said problem. This study was done to find out the prevalence of obesity and overweight and its contributing factors in District Lahore. Methods: A cross sectional study was performed on the individuals of either sex, age between 15-55 in the district of Lahore. The sample size of 345 individuals was taken randomly using the sampling technique of non-probability purposive sampling from the different towns of district Lahore. Data were collected by in person interview by using a pre-design questionnaire. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 18. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity as per WHO body mass index (BMI) criteria is 27.8% and 25.2% respectively in the subjects included in the study. The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity is 53%. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the age group between 21-25 is 22.9% and 67.9%, respectively, which is the highest values among all other age groups. Physical inactivity, positive family history, male gender, middle age, depression, consumption of carbonated drinks and fast food, overeating, and high calorie food intake are the contributing factors identified in my study. Conclusion: The study shows the high prevalence of overweight and obesity. Change of lifestyle, dietary habits and the promotion of physical activity is strongly needed. Immediate action both preventive and curative is needed to reverse the epidemic. effective policies and the strategies should be made for the long term solution.