Abstracts:

Background: obesity is now considered as a serious health problem, and a very important risk factor for many disease. Its prevalence has tripled over the past three decades and keeps on rising not only in developed countries.

Objective: this study was designed countries to assess the prevalence and associated factors of obesity among healthy adults in Nyamagana.

Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted; convenient sampling method was to select a representative sample. A total of 391 adults, aged ≥18 years were recruited. Demographic data and other factors were obtained. Obesity was defined according to the classification by the WHO using BMI.

Results: overall, the prevalence of obesity was 24.6% while 32.2% were overweight, 41.4% had normal BMI and 1.8% were underweight. Obesity has higher prevalence in male i.e. 36.7%, age group between 47 to 58, i.e. 40%, secondary level of education i.e. 28.7%, retired i.e. 40% and insufficiently physical active i.e.29.8%.

Conclusion: although the prevalence of obesity was high in men, women had high prevalence of overweight .factors associated with obesity in the population studied were being male, increasing age, being widow/widower and insufficient physical activities.