| Summary: | Abdominal obesity (AO) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease,
hypertension and diabetes mellitus in adults. There is a lack of data on the
magnitude and socio-demographic profile of AO among Malaysian adults at the
national level. In the Third National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS III)
conducted in 2006, AO of adults aged 18 years and above was determined based
on the waist circumference as part of the nutritional status assessment. This
article reports the prevalence of AO in relation to socio-economic factors and
demographic characteristics of adult subjects. Out of a total of 33,465 eligible
individuals 18 years and above, waist circumference was measured in 32,900
(98.3%) individuals. The prevalence of AO was assessed using the cut-off points
recommended by World Health Organization. The mean waist circumference in
men and women was 84.0cm [95% confidence interval (95% CI): 83.8, 84.3] and
80.3cm (95% CI: 80.1, 80.6) respectively. The national prevalence of AO was
17.4% (95% CI: 16.9, 17.9). The identified risks of AO were women (OR: 4.2, 95%
CI: 3.8, 4.6), aged 50-59 years (OR: 5.6, 95% CI: 4.0, 7.7), Indians (OR: 3.0, 95% CI:
2.4, 3.8), housewives (OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.7), subjects with primary education
(OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.5) and ever married (OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.2, 1.6). Being the
largest population-based study on AO among Malaysians, these findings have
important public health implications. There is an urgent need to revise public
health policies and programmes aimed at prevention of abdominal obesity
especially in the groups at risk.
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