“Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in Balangir District: Age and Sex Analysis”

Abstract: Overweight and obesity have emerged as major public health concern worldwide due to their increasing prevalence and association with various diseases. Excess body weight is linked to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension and reduced quality of life. Developing countries are experiencing a rapid rise in obesity rates because of changes in dietary habits, urbanization and sedentary lifestyles. A sectional study was conducted among people in Western Odisha, Balangir district. The study revealed thatoverall16% of people were overweight and obese as per BMI classification. Among them, 11.6% were overweight and 4.4% were obese. Gender-wise analysis showed that 20.33% of males and 11.96% of females were affected by overweight and obesity. Using WHO factors such as age, marital status, drink, calorie intake and physical adequacy all were significantly associated with overweight and obesity. The study highlights the contribution of these socio-biological factors to the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in the population.

Keywords: Overweight; Obesity; Body Mass Index (BMI); Prevalence; Age and Sex Differences; Socio-biological Factors.