Anthropometric Health Assessment of the Igbo Ethnic Group in Nigeria: A Study of BMI and Waist-to-Hip Ratio

Abstract

Background: Anthropometric indices are important clinically relevant parameters used as indicators to assess health status such as abdominal adiposity, obesity, fat distribution and cardiovascular risks to avoid health risks. Aim:  This study aimed to assess the health status of the Igbo ethnic group of Nigeria using BMI (body mass index) and WHR (waist-to-hip ratio). Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was adopted in this study, and 300 subjects (150 males and 150 females) between the ages of 18-37 years were randomly selected. BMI was deduced from the division of body weight by the square root of standing height and WHR by direct division of waist and hip circumferences. Results: The association of BMI with gender shows that 14.7% are underweight, 64.7% are normal, 18.7% are overweight and 2% are obese were found in males while in females, 12% are underweight, 53.3% are normal, 28.7% are overweight and 6% are obese and this shows no significant. The WHR shows that 84% of males and 83.3% of females were within the normal range. Conclusion: The study found no significant association between BMI and WHR across genders and ages, suggesting that body composition patterns remain stable. This could be due to genetic predisposition, lifestyle factors, and cultural habits, rather than biological differences, affecting these anthropometric measures.