Obesity Prevalence and its Nutritional Related Lifestyle Pattern in Jundi-Shapour University Female Staff, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract

Iranians have recently showed a rapid nutritional transition toward a more sedentary lifestyle and un-healthy dietary practices, these changes being more obvious in younger adults. Limited information however exists on different sub-classes. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the obesity prevalence and its lifestyle related behaviors in all female personnel working in administrative posi-tions at Ahvaz Jundi-Shahpour University, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all 101 female staff of the university, aged 20-45y, were interviewed and data on their food frequency, physical activity, drug and medical histories, was documented and anthropometric questionnaires were also completed and scored. Data collection was carried out during spring 2005. Percent of body fat was measured using the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method. Results: Based on the BIA method, overweight and obesity rates were determined in 34.6 and 40.6 per-cent of women, respectively, and central obesity was prevalent in 27% of them. Women with bachelor de-grees had less body fat percentage and body mass index (BMI) than those with lower degrees (31.8±5.6 vs 35.5±5.8 percent; p