Sex disparities in adult obesity prevalence across 47 African countries: A cross-sectional descriptive study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Obesity is a growing public health concern in Africa, with evidence suggesting pronounced disparities between men and women. Understanding the prevalence and sex differences in obesity across African countries is critical for informing equity-focused interventions. This study examined the prevalence of adult obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥30) across 47 African countries using sex-disaggregated data to assess the magnitude of sex disparities in obesity prevalence as a basis for equity-focused public health interventions.

Methods

This study is a cross-sectional descriptive study using nationally representative, sex-disaggregated data from 47 African countries, primarily for the year 2022, obtained from the World Health Organization Health Equity Assessment Toolkit

SUBMITTER: Osborne A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12721531 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature