Prevalence and associated factors of overweight, obesity, and central obesity among adults in Northern Sudan: a community-based cross-sectional study

Abstract Obesity is a significant global health issue. Despite the availability of published data on the epidemiology of overweight and obesity in African countries, relatively few studies have been conducted in Sudan, the third-largest African country. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of...

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Main Authors: Amal O. Bashir, Osman E. Osman, Ishag Adam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15097-3
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author Amal O. Bashir
Osman E. Osman
Ishag Adam
author_facet Amal O. Bashir
Osman E. Osman
Ishag Adam
author_sort Amal O. Bashir
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Obesity is a significant global health issue. Despite the availability of published data on the epidemiology of overweight and obesity in African countries, relatively few studies have been conducted in Sudan, the third-largest African country. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of obesity and central obesity among adults in Northern Sudan and identify associated factors. A multistage community-based survey was conducted in River Nile State, Northern Sudan. The adult’s sociodemographic and clinical data were collected through a questionnaire. Waist circumference was measured, and body mass index (BMI) was computed from the weight and height. Multivariate multinomial and binary analyses were performed. Of 470 adults, 242 (51.5%) were males, and their median age was 45 years. Forty-four (9.4%) adults were underweight, 154 (32.8%) were normal weight, 145 (30.9%) were overweight, 127 (27.0%) were obese, and 205 (43.6%) adults had central obesity. In the multivariate multinomial analysis, being female (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.34, 95.0% confidence interval [CI] = 1.22–4.49) and married (AOR = 2.18, 95.0% CI = 1.20–3.96) were associated with obesity. In multivariate binary analysis, increasing age (AOR = 1.04, 95.0% CI = 1.02–1.05) and female sex (AOR = 7.09, 95.0% CI = 3.90 − 12.91) were associated with central obesity. This study showed that obesity is a health problem in this region of Sudan, especially among females and adults with increasing age.
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spelling doaj-art-283d752f0c00447ea2288bbb774f945c2025-08-20T03:45:49ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-011511710.1038/s41598-025-15097-3Prevalence and associated factors of overweight, obesity, and central obesity among adults in Northern Sudan: a community-based cross-sectional studyAmal O. Bashir0Osman E. Osman1Ishag Adam2Faculty of Public Health and Health Informatics, University of Umm Al QuraFaculty of Medicine, Alneelain UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Qassim UniversityAbstract Obesity is a significant global health issue. Despite the availability of published data on the epidemiology of overweight and obesity in African countries, relatively few studies have been conducted in Sudan, the third-largest African country. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of obesity and central obesity among adults in Northern Sudan and identify associated factors. A multistage community-based survey was conducted in River Nile State, Northern Sudan. The adult’s sociodemographic and clinical data were collected through a questionnaire. Waist circumference was measured, and body mass index (BMI) was computed from the weight and height. Multivariate multinomial and binary analyses were performed. Of 470 adults, 242 (51.5%) were males, and their median age was 45 years. Forty-four (9.4%) adults were underweight, 154 (32.8%) were normal weight, 145 (30.9%) were overweight, 127 (27.0%) were obese, and 205 (43.6%) adults had central obesity. In the multivariate multinomial analysis, being female (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.34, 95.0% confidence interval [CI] = 1.22–4.49) and married (AOR = 2.18, 95.0% CI = 1.20–3.96) were associated with obesity. In multivariate binary analysis, increasing age (AOR = 1.04, 95.0% CI = 1.02–1.05) and female sex (AOR = 7.09, 95.0% CI = 3.90 − 12.91) were associated with central obesity. This study showed that obesity is a health problem in this region of Sudan, especially among females and adults with increasing age.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15097-3AgeFemaleObesityCentral obesitySudan
spellingShingle Amal O. Bashir
Osman E. Osman
Ishag Adam
Prevalence and associated factors of overweight, obesity, and central obesity among adults in Northern Sudan: a community-based cross-sectional study
Scientific Reports
Age
Female
Obesity
Central obesity
Sudan
title Prevalence and associated factors of overweight, obesity, and central obesity among adults in Northern Sudan: a community-based cross-sectional study
title_full Prevalence and associated factors of overweight, obesity, and central obesity among adults in Northern Sudan: a community-based cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Prevalence and associated factors of overweight, obesity, and central obesity among adults in Northern Sudan: a community-based cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence and associated factors of overweight, obesity, and central obesity among adults in Northern Sudan: a community-based cross-sectional study
title_short Prevalence and associated factors of overweight, obesity, and central obesity among adults in Northern Sudan: a community-based cross-sectional study
title_sort prevalence and associated factors of overweight obesity and central obesity among adults in northern sudan a community based cross sectional study
topic Age
Female
Obesity
Central obesity
Sudan
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15097-3
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AT ishagadam prevalenceandassociatedfactorsofoverweightobesityandcentralobesityamongadultsinnorthernsudanacommunitybasedcrosssectionalstudy