Prevalence of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity in Adults in Bhaktapur, Nepal in 2015–2017

Introduction: There is an increase in the double burden of malnutrition globally, with a particular rise documented in Asia. In Nepal, undernutrition has been prevalent for decades. Today, however, the incidence of overweight and obesity (OWOB) in the country has increased substantially. There is a...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Catherine Schwinger, Ram K. Chandyo, Manjeswori Ulak, Mari Hysing, Merina Shrestha, Suman Ranjitkar, Tor A. Strand
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2020-09-01
Series:Frontiers in Nutrition
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnut.2020.567164/full
_version_ 1831718684325838848
author Catherine Schwinger
Ram K. Chandyo
Manjeswori Ulak
Manjeswori Ulak
Mari Hysing
Merina Shrestha
Suman Ranjitkar
Tor A. Strand
Tor A. Strand
author_facet Catherine Schwinger
Ram K. Chandyo
Manjeswori Ulak
Manjeswori Ulak
Mari Hysing
Merina Shrestha
Suman Ranjitkar
Tor A. Strand
Tor A. Strand
author_sort Catherine Schwinger
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: There is an increase in the double burden of malnutrition globally, with a particular rise documented in Asia. In Nepal, undernutrition has been prevalent for decades. Today, however, the incidence of overweight and obesity (OWOB) in the country has increased substantially. There is a need to conduct local studies reporting on the concurrent burden of both underweight and OWOB across adult populations. This study addresses this need by describing the distribution of body mass index (BMI) in a defined population of adults living in the peri-urban community of Bhaktapur, Nepal.Material and methods: For this cross-sectional analysis, we used data that were available from 600 women and 445 men whose children were enrolled in an individually randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessing the effect of daily vitamin B12 supplementation. Upon enrolment of their 6–11-month old children, mothers and fathers were interviewed about their socio-demographic details. In addition, their weight and height were measured by trained field workers. Each parent's BMI was calculated as the ratio of body weight (in kg) and height squared (in m), expressed as kg/m2, and categorized according to the WHO recommendation. We used linear and multinomial logistic regression models to assess associations between the BMI of the mothers and fathers, and their baseline characteristics.Results: The mean BMI was 23.7 kg/m2 for both the mothers and fathers with a standard deviation (SD) of 3.6 and 3.7, respectively. The proportion categorized as underweight, overweight, and obese was also similar in the two groups with around 5% being underweight, 30% being overweight and 5% being obese. Age was positively associated with BMI in both groups. Those categorized as daily wage earner had a lower mean BMI than those in other occupational groups.Conclusion: Our results contribute to documenting the burden of both under- and overnutrition in a selected group of young adults living in a peri-urban community in Nepal. As Nepal is undergoing an improvement in its economic situation, as well as a nutrition transition, it is important to provide sufficient information to enable timely action, and evidence-based decision-making to prevent a further increase in Nepal's growing double burden of malnutrition.
first_indexed 2024-12-21T01:20:23Z
format Article
id doaj.art-3dd8ace063b74c23aeea5dbcdfe810b3
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2296-861X
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-21T01:20:23Z
publishDate 2020-09-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Nutrition
spelling doaj.art-3dd8ace063b74c23aeea5dbcdfe810b32022-12-21T19:20:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2020-09-01710.3389/fnut.2020.567164567164Prevalence of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity in Adults in Bhaktapur, Nepal in 2015–2017Catherine Schwinger0Ram K. Chandyo1Manjeswori Ulak2Manjeswori Ulak3Mari Hysing4Merina Shrestha5Suman Ranjitkar6Tor A. Strand7Tor A. Strand8Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health, Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Community Medicine, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu, NepalDepartment of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health, Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Community Medicine, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu, NepalDepartment of Psychosocial Science, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Community Medicine, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu, NepalDepartment of Community Medicine, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu, NepalDepartment of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health, Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Research, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Lillehammer, NorwayIntroduction: There is an increase in the double burden of malnutrition globally, with a particular rise documented in Asia. In Nepal, undernutrition has been prevalent for decades. Today, however, the incidence of overweight and obesity (OWOB) in the country has increased substantially. There is a need to conduct local studies reporting on the concurrent burden of both underweight and OWOB across adult populations. This study addresses this need by describing the distribution of body mass index (BMI) in a defined population of adults living in the peri-urban community of Bhaktapur, Nepal.Material and methods: For this cross-sectional analysis, we used data that were available from 600 women and 445 men whose children were enrolled in an individually randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessing the effect of daily vitamin B12 supplementation. Upon enrolment of their 6–11-month old children, mothers and fathers were interviewed about their socio-demographic details. In addition, their weight and height were measured by trained field workers. Each parent's BMI was calculated as the ratio of body weight (in kg) and height squared (in m), expressed as kg/m2, and categorized according to the WHO recommendation. We used linear and multinomial logistic regression models to assess associations between the BMI of the mothers and fathers, and their baseline characteristics.Results: The mean BMI was 23.7 kg/m2 for both the mothers and fathers with a standard deviation (SD) of 3.6 and 3.7, respectively. The proportion categorized as underweight, overweight, and obese was also similar in the two groups with around 5% being underweight, 30% being overweight and 5% being obese. Age was positively associated with BMI in both groups. Those categorized as daily wage earner had a lower mean BMI than those in other occupational groups.Conclusion: Our results contribute to documenting the burden of both under- and overnutrition in a selected group of young adults living in a peri-urban community in Nepal. As Nepal is undergoing an improvement in its economic situation, as well as a nutrition transition, it is important to provide sufficient information to enable timely action, and evidence-based decision-making to prevent a further increase in Nepal's growing double burden of malnutrition.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnut.2020.567164/fullnutritional statusanthropometrydouble burden of malnutritionlow income countryAsia
spellingShingle Catherine Schwinger
Ram K. Chandyo
Manjeswori Ulak
Manjeswori Ulak
Mari Hysing
Merina Shrestha
Suman Ranjitkar
Tor A. Strand
Tor A. Strand
Prevalence of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity in Adults in Bhaktapur, Nepal in 2015–2017
Frontiers in Nutrition
nutritional status
anthropometry
double burden of malnutrition
low income country
Asia
title Prevalence of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity in Adults in Bhaktapur, Nepal in 2015–2017
title_full Prevalence of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity in Adults in Bhaktapur, Nepal in 2015–2017
title_fullStr Prevalence of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity in Adults in Bhaktapur, Nepal in 2015–2017
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity in Adults in Bhaktapur, Nepal in 2015–2017
title_short Prevalence of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity in Adults in Bhaktapur, Nepal in 2015–2017
title_sort prevalence of underweight overweight and obesity in adults in bhaktapur nepal in 2015 2017
topic nutritional status
anthropometry
double burden of malnutrition
low income country
Asia
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnut.2020.567164/full
work_keys_str_mv AT catherineschwinger prevalenceofunderweightoverweightandobesityinadultsinbhaktapurnepalin20152017
AT ramkchandyo prevalenceofunderweightoverweightandobesityinadultsinbhaktapurnepalin20152017
AT manjesworiulak prevalenceofunderweightoverweightandobesityinadultsinbhaktapurnepalin20152017
AT manjesworiulak prevalenceofunderweightoverweightandobesityinadultsinbhaktapurnepalin20152017
AT marihysing prevalenceofunderweightoverweightandobesityinadultsinbhaktapurnepalin20152017
AT merinashrestha prevalenceofunderweightoverweightandobesityinadultsinbhaktapurnepalin20152017
AT sumanranjitkar prevalenceofunderweightoverweightandobesityinadultsinbhaktapurnepalin20152017
AT torastrand prevalenceofunderweightoverweightandobesityinadultsinbhaktapurnepalin20152017
AT torastrand prevalenceofunderweightoverweightandobesityinadultsinbhaktapurnepalin20152017