BACKGROUND: The emergence of a nutrition transition in developing countries might lead to higher prevalence of @entity28 and related adverse health effects. In Cameroon,urbanization growth rate is one of the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. Such dramatic demographic change favours important modifications, notably in nutritional patterns. AIM: In this paper we examine the current prevalence of overweight and @entity28 in Yaounde,the capital city of Cameroon and search for possible causal factors. Detrimental consequences of overweight are also discussed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Samples of adults (519 @entity1 , 252 @entity1 ) of all ages in all districts of Yaounde were subjected to anthropometric and body composition measurements, blood pressure and resting heart rate determination, and interviewer-administered questionnaires on socio-demography, smoking habits, physical activity, self-perception of body weight and health status. RESULTS: In both sexes body mass index (BMI) increases with age and peaks in the years of maturity. These changes are related to changes in adiposity. Prevalence rates of overweight(BMI >or= 25) and @entity28 (BMI > or = 30) increase from 20 to 29 years and peak at 40-49 years in @entity1 and at 50-59 years in @entity1 before starting to decline. One @entity1 in two is overweight and one @entity1 in five is @entity28 , whereas one-third of @entity1 are overweight and only 5% are @entity28 . Obese subjects have a larger age-adjusted waist to hip ratio(WHR) than their non-overweight counterparts, attesting that fat gain is oriented towards a more abdominal fat mass distribution. The length of residence in Yaounde, increasing education level, occupation, ethnicity, physical inactivity and smoking practices appear to influence early overweight and/or @entity28 . No parity effect is observed in @entity1 . From the present study, it appears that @entity28 , and especially @entity28 in @entity1 , could be less benign than that described in other studies in Africa. CONCLUSION: Research is needed in Cameroon, including aetiological and cohort studies aimed at the quantification of morbidity and mortality risks associated with overweight and @entity28 .

Prevalence of overweight and XXXX for urban adults in Cameroon.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'woman', 'men'] @entity28 :: ('MESH:D009765', 'Disease') :: ['obese', 'obesity']
@entity28 :: (MESH:D009765,Disease) :: ['obesity']
