BMC Public Health 2006, 6:228 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/6/228 Table 3: Mean (Standard error) anthropometric measures, by body mass index obesity categories in adult men and women of Cameroon. Findings of the 2003 Cameroon Burden of Diabetes Baseline Survey Men Underweight Normal Weight Overweight Obese WHR < 0.90 WHR ≥ 0.90 Women Underweight Normal Weight Overweight Obese WHR < 0.85 WHR ≥ 0.85 N 338 2244 880 284 2791 1216 401 2436 1655 1216 3792 2212 Weight 50.8 (0.73) 64.8 (0.28) 78.5 (0.50) 94.6 (0.80) 66.1 (0.91) 76.2 (1.02) 46.0 (0.50) 58.0 (0.31) 70.7 (0.31) 90.0 (0.60) 64.6 (1.03) 72.5 (1.23) WC 69.2 (0.60) 76.5 (0.18) 87.9 (0.70) 103.0 (0.55) 76.5 (0.58) 92.7 (0.73) 67.4 (0.64) 74.5 (0.35) 84.6 (0.39) 99.2 (0.43) 77.5 (0.77) 92.6 (0.84) HC 82.8 (0.67) 90.9 (0.30) 99.7 (0.42) 110.5 (0.45) 92.4 (0.72) 96.6 (0.81) 84.9 (0.28) 93.4 (0.30) 103.3 (0.33) 115.8 (0.53) 99.3 (0.90) 101.6 (0.77) WHR 0.83 (0.010) 0.84 (0.002) 0.88 (0.004) 0.93 (0.004) 0.82 (0.001) 0.96 (0.004) 0.79 (0.008) 0.80 (0.001) 0.82 (0.003) 0.86 (0.006) 0.78 (0.002) 0.91 (0.005) BMI 17.8 (0.09) 22.1 (0.13) 26.8 (0.07) 33.7 (0.32) 22.6 (0.35) 26.3 (0.38) 17.6 (0.14) 22.2 (0.16) 27.2 (0.05) 34.8 (0.13) 24.7 (0.42) 28.0 (0.50) WC (Waist Circumference in cm), HC (Hip Circumference in cm), BMI (Body Mass Index in kg/m2), WHR (Waist Hip Ratio), SE (Standard Error). BMI Categories: Normal Weight (BMI<25 Kg/m2), Overweight (BMI 25–29.9 Kg/m2), Obese (BMI≥30 Kg/m2) The prevalence of obesity estimated from the CamBoD Baseline survey was particularly high in women, and increased markedly between 15–34 and 35–44 years in both sexes. Prevalence of obesity was five times higher in females aged 15–34 years compared to men. Comparison with previous findings in Cameroon is difficult because of different methodologies. However, the prevalence of obesity, estimated from this study is consistent with already published results. Thus, Sobngwi et al. reported a prevalence of BMI obesity of 5.4% in men and 17.1% in women [4] among urban Cameroonians in 2002, slightly lower than found in this study. Pasquet et al [5] also reported comparable results. Lower prevalences have been reported in other urban settings in Africa [19,20], though even higher prevalences were found by Puoane et al who reported a prevalence of 9.2% in men and 42% in women in the urban adult population of South Africa [21]. Obesity as estimated by BMI (a measure of total body fat) and central obesity as estimated by WC and WHR was low among men in the younger age group (0.9–2.4%) and moderate among women (11.8–18.5%). BMI defined obesity increased to 13.6% in 35–44 years old men, and then remained fairly constant in the older age groups, while central obesity measured by WHR continued to increase to a maximum (11.8%) in the >55 years group. BMI defined obesity increased to a peak of 41.4% in the 45–54 years group in women, and increased steadily across all age groups to a maximum of 66.5% in women aged >55 years. Table 4: Age adjusted odd ratios (95% confidence interval) for being overweight or obese based on body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, with duration of education in men and women adults of urban Cameroon. Findings of the 2003 Cameroon Burden of Diabetes Baseline Survey Men Women Duration of Education <7 Years 7–14 years ≥14 Years n 732 1779 1292 BMI≥25 WC≥0.90 WHR≥0.95 n BMI≥25 WC≥0.80 WHR≥0.85 Reference Reference Reference 1704 1.94 (1.34 – 2.85) 2.31 (1.65 – 3.25) 1.38 (0.90 – 2.12) 2737 3.41 (2.15 – 5.41) 4.73 (3.17 – 7.00) 1.83 (1.23 – 2.74) 1235 Reference Reference Reference 1.87 (1.44 – 2.42) 1.52 (1.19 – 1.93) 0.86 (0.71 – 1.04) 2.23 (1.72 – 2.90) 1.88 (1.52 – 2.33) 0.69 (0.55 – 0.87) BMI: Body Mass Index. Overweight was defined as BMI between 25–29.9 and obesity as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 in men and women. WC: Waist Circumference. Overweight was defined based on WC 94–101.9 cm and 80–87.9 in men and women respectively and obesity based on WC ≥ 102 cm in men and ≥ 88 cm in women. WHR: Waist-to-hip ratio was defined based on WHR 0.90–0.99 and WHR 0.80–0.84 in men and women respectively and obesity based on WHR ≥ 1 in men and ≥ 0.85 in women. Page 6 of 8 (page number not for citation purposes)