Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity and Abdominal Obesity among the Adult Population of Yakutia

Abstract

This study describes data obtained as a result of a one-stage epidemiological study for levels of CVD risk factors among indigenous and non-indigenous populations of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) (RS(Y)). A total of 1,856 indigenous residents (Yakuts) and non-indigenous residents (Russians) were examined: 512 men (mean age 47.5±15.1) and 1,344 women (mean age 48.1±14.2). Among the surveyed adult population of Yakutia, the average values of BMI, regardless of ethnicity, were high with a regular increase in this indicator with age, especially in women. Overweight is more common for indigenous men (40%) compared with indigenous women (34.5 %). Among the non-indigenous residents, there were no gender differences. In the sample of the indigenous population, obesity was more common in women (24.3%) than in men (18.7%). Among non-indigenous residents, similar differences were not obtained, except for a higher incidence of obesity in older women. The average waist circumference in men and women of both ethnic groups is not high, but the indicators are higher for men than for women; the gender differences are leveled in the older age group in both ethnic groups. Prevalence of abdominal obesity (AO) is extremely high in indigenous residents (61.6%); in both ethnic groups, the prevalence of AO is higher among women than men. The incidence of overweight, obesity and AO was significantly higher in Yakut people.

Keywords

• overweight
• obesity
• abdominal obesity
• metabolic syndrome