Associations between energy intake, physical activity level and adiposity in Kuwait: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Purpose: To examine relationships between adiposity, energy intake and physical activity in a representative sample of the Kuwaiti population. Like many industrialised countries, Kuwait has witnessed a dramatic rise in the prevalence of overweight and obesity over the past decade. Precise international comparisons are problematic since previous studies on Kuwaiti adults have relied on convenience, rather than representative, sampling of the population. Methods: A sample of 383 subjects was selected by random sampling of the population. Data from 24 hour diet recall, anthropometry (height, weight, waist, hip), self-reported education, and self-reported physical activity were collected. Results: 32% of male and 43.5% of female subjects were obese (BMI>35). A further 35% of males and 30.4% of females were overweight (BMI 25-30). Age, gender, education level, physical activity level, and total energy intake were associated with BMI. Mean BMI exceeded 25 in all age groups except females aged 20-24. Mean Waist:Hip ratios exceeded cutoffs for overweight in all age groups. Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity is particularly high in Kuwait, especially amongst adult females. Interventions to reduce obesity prevalence for people with lower education levels in particular are required. Solutions to enhance physical activity need to be particularly sensitive to cultural and gender-related constraints.