Pattern of underweight and overweight in Lagos Southwest Nigeria

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the pattern of underweight and overweight among Lagosians. Methods: The sample size was 118 participants that were selected in Lagos during a cross sectional survey. The weight of each individual was determined with a weighting scale in kilogram. The height of each participant was also determined in meters. The body mass index was computed using the formula body mass index is equal to weight in kilogram divided by height in meters squared. Demographic data were obtained. Results: In the study population with age range 18-88years, 3.39% (4 participants) were underweight.25% of the underweight was male while 75% were female. One each of the underweight are in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth decade of life .In contrast, 39.83% (47 participants) of the study population were overweight. Of the overweight participants 34.04% (16participants) were male while 65.06% (31 participants) were females. Discussion: Human weight is a subject of great concern not only to individual but also to the society and the medical world. Underweight and overweight is associated with medical condition of prognostic importance. Some disease condition cut across both sides of normal weight, some commoner in underweight some commoner in overweight while some are almost exclusively seen in underweight. Conclusion: Overweight is commoner among Lagosian than underweight.