| Summary: | Background: The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide. Several socioeconomic factors influence the lifestyle of the individual and society as a whole. Obesity is a risk factor for several health problems such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, stroke, arthritis, gall stones and sleep apnea. Objective: The present study was conducted to find the prevalence of obesity and its associated socioeconomic factors among the urban women of Gangtok, Sikkim. Methods: The data was collected from 657 adult women aged between 20 to 60 years from urban areas of Gangtok through random sampling method. Anthropometric rod and weighing machine were used to measure height and weight respectively. Structured schedule was used to collect data on various socioeconomic conditions. Results: The frequencies of overweight and obesity among urban women in Gangtok were 30.4 percent and 15.1 percent respectively. The central obesity in the study population was 56.2 percent. The frequency of obesity was higher among married women (37.6%), middle income family (20.9%) and secondary education (24.6%). Conclusions: Various socioeconomic conditions like education, occupation, income, marital status and age group shows a significant association with the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the present study.
|
|---|