2023 Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 25-31
Objective: Obesity, in particular abdominal obesity, often leads to a metabolic syndrome. Abdominal obesity is defined as a visceral fat area (VFA) >100 cm2 using abdominal CT. Waist circumference (WC) is an alternative indirect and simple value for abdominal obesity. Among 191 countries, Vietnam has the lowest obesity rate (2.10%) as defined by body mass index (BMI) ≥30. The prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome has not been well studied in developing urban Vietnam, which is experiencing rapid changes in dietary patterns.
Methods: A total of 659 adult Vietnamese (373 males, ages 22 to 79, mean 48.9±0.5; and 286 females, ages 22 to 87, mean 49.9±0.7) underwent abdominal CT to measure VFA and physical examinations, including measurement of WC and BMI, at the HECI Center, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam in 2019. The prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome, and the relationship among the three parameters were analyzed.
Results: The overall rate of obesity was 2.6% (males, 3.5%; females 1.4%), and overweight (BMI≥25 kg/m2) was 30.8% (males 41.0%; females 17.4%). Abdominal obesity (VFA≥100 cm2) was found in 44.3% (males 63.8%; females 18.9%) and metabolic syndrome using VFA≥100 cm2 was found in 34.3% (males 49.9%; females 14.3%). VFA, WC and BMI values were positively correlated in both males and females.
Conclusion: In urban Vietnam, the prevalence of obesity (BMI≥30) is low, but being overweight and having metabolic syndrome with abdominal obesity were found in up to 40% of participants.
