Introduction: Obesity is an increasing global health concern, especially in developing countries like India. Understanding the incidence of being obese and its body fat distribution patterns, as well as gender disparities, is critical for developing effective prevention and therapeutic methods. The purpose of this study is to look at the prevalence of obesity and the distribution of body fat in young and middle-aged adults in Varanasi, India, while also looking into gender differences.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in rural population of Varanasi, India, involving a representative sample of young and middle-aged adults (aged 18-60 years). A multistage sampling technique was employed to select participants from different villages. Anthropometric measurements, including body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist-height ratio (WHtR), MUAC, Visceral fat, Skeleton muscles percent, Body fat percent were collected to assess obesity and body fat distribution. The data was analysed by using MS Excel and SPSS software. In spite of descriptive statistics, inferential statistics like ANOVA analysis etc were used to draw the inferences.
Results: The study comprised a total of 1000 participants (507 men, 493 women), with approximately equal gender representation. The overall prevalence of obesity among young and middle-aged adults in the rural population of Varanasi was found to be 73%. Gender-specific analysis revealed a higher prevalence of obesity among males (52.12%) compared to females (39.42%). Regarding body fat distribution, central obesity, as indicated by an increased WHR, was more prevalent among females (74%) than males (39.45%).
Conclusion: This study demonstrates a considerable prevalence of obesity among young and middle-aged adults in the rural population of Varanasi, India, with notable gender differences. Males exhibited a higher prevalence of obesity and a greater tendency for central fat distribution in females compared to males.
