Social, lifestyle and health factors associated with obesity among out-patients in Qatar

Abstract EN

This study aimed to investigate factors associated with obesity in patients attending out-patient clinics in Qatar.

Patients aged 20 years and over who attended the out-patient clinics between 8 a.m.

to 12p.m.

for the period of one week in interviewed (457 patients).

Of these patients only 346 were recorded their weight and height, and therefore included in the study.

There was no significant association between factors studied and obesity.

However, using logistic regression, it was found that the risk of obesity was higher among older people (odd ratio, OR=1.56) female (OR=1.74), married (OR=1.20) and those who watched television more than two hours a day (OR=1.22).

People with a history of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases were also more prone to be obese.

The findings revealed that obesity is caused by interaction between social and lifestyle factors.

Obesity is one of the most important risk factors for several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and some types of cancer 1.

These diseases have become the main causes of death in Qatar and represent over 50% of total deaths 2.

Therefore, prevention and control of obesity is considered an important measure to control non-communicable chronic diseases in Qatar.

Studies on obesity in Qatar are very limited.

Musaiger et al 3 have carried out a cross-sectional survey on 628 women aged 17-67 years who attended health centers in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

They found that 62.6% of women were overweight or obese.

Socio-economic factors such as age, marital status, education and age at marriage as well as chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes were significantly associated with obesity.