Prevalence of obesity among type 2 diabetics in Nigeria a case study of patients in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

A cross-sectional study of anthropometric parameters (weight and height) and body mass index (BMI) of 212 type 2 diabetic patients was conducted in Ibadan, Oyo State, South-Western Nigeria between January and March 2002. Pretested Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to obtain information on the socio-economic and medical profiles of the patients who had been attending the dietetic clinics of a teaching hospital and a state hospital respectively for medical treatment and dietary counseling for at least 6 months. The mean (SD) age of the patients was 55 (13.7) years. Fifty-seven percent of them were women and forty-three percent men. The mean (SD) weights of the male and female patients were 67.4 (11.7) kg and 64.1 (4.6) kg respectively. Majority (83%) of the patients were either overweight or obese. The female patients were significantly more obese than the males (P < 0.001). This study concludes that certain dietary measures and regular moderate exercise which could enhance the achievement and maintenance of ideal body weight should be given emphasis in the management of type 2 diabetic patients.