Obesity: An Inevitable Consequence of Urbanization

Background: Today, obesity is a key healthcare problem on a global scale including Iran. The present study aimed at determining the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Hormozgan province, Iran to propose effective healthcare programs and strategies to reduce this dilemma in future. Objectives: The current study conducted in the South of Iran aimed at exploring the prevalence of overweigh and obesity in males and females in terms of social variables affected by demographic variables such as age, gender, marital status, education level, smoking, and physical activity. Methods: In the current cross sectional, observational study, a sample of 5000 eligible males and females above 18 years old were selected based on a multi-stratified clustering sampling method. The data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of variables such as weight, height, drug consumption, and physical activity. Statistical analysis was performed. Results: The present study findings revealed that 31.8% of the population in Hormozgan province was overweight, while only 15.2% were obese. The highest percentage of obesity (18.3%) was observed among the subjects aged 35 - 44 years. The prevalence of obesity among females was higher in urban population. Conclusions: The current study results showed that the urban married middle-aged females had the highest rate of obesity, which requires appropriate educational planning and utilization of efficient models in the realm of females’ health.