Ten-year changes in central obesity and BMI in rural and urban Cameroon

Objective: To compare the 10‐year changes in the distribution of adiposity in rural and urban Cameroonian populations. Methods and Procedures: Two cross‐sectional surveys of populations in the same rural and urban areas of Cameroon, aged ≥24 years, were carried out in 1994 (1,762 subjects) and 2003 (1,398 subjects) using similar methodology. All eligible subjects answered a structured questionnaire on their educational level, alcohol consumption, and tobacco smoking and weight, height, and waist circumference (WC) were measured. Results: Between 1994 and 2003, the age‐standardized prevalence of BMI ≥25 kg/m² increased significantly only in the rural area (+54% for women and +82% for men), while the age‐standardized prevalence of central obesity (WC ≥80 cm (women), ≥94 cm (men)) increased significantly only in the urban population (+32% for women and +190% for men). These differences persisted after adjustments for age group, alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, and level of education, and within almost all the strata of the studied risk factors. Discussion: Changes in adiposity over time in Cameroon were characterized by an increase of BMI in the rural area and of WC in the urban area.