Prevalence and Perception of Obesity Among Sub-Saharan Africans in Korea

Abstract

There is a dearth of obesity study among sub-Saharan African immigrants in Seoul, Korea. We investigated the prevalence and perception of obesity among this population. A cross-sectional study involving 211 immigrants aged 20 years and above from sub-Saharan Africa was carried out, using a structured questionnaire. Obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m²) was calculated as the primary outcome variable. The overall prevalence of obesity was 27.0% (men 22.6% and women 36.8%). In a logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, obesity was significantly associated with increased duration of residence. Participants were 4.03 (95% CI 1.63-9.94) more likely to disagree than agree that obesity is a sign of wealth and that it gives respect. There is an urgent need to assess the possible factors predisposing sub-Saharan Africans to obesity and interventions should be designed targeting their lifestyle modification for healthy weight.

Keywords: Immigrants; Obesity; Perception; Sub-Saharan Africa.