Anthropometric Parameters As Preditor Of Obesity Among Pregnant Women In Portharcourt Nigeria

There have been controversies on defined anthropometric parameters for assessment of obesity in pregnant women, because certain cut‐off values relating to it are influenced by age, sex, ethnicity and trimesters of pregnancy. This study is aimed at investigating the use of anthropometric parameters to measure obesity and determine its prevalence in the different trimesters of pregnancy. It is a prospective study of 460 pregnant women in the sample proportion of 110, 110, 240 in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd trimesters respectively chosen randomly from antenatal clinic of PHC centre. Measurements of height, weight, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HP) were obtained. Basal metabolic index (BMI) was calculated from values of height and weight. Waist to height ratio (WHtR) and waist to hip ratio (WHR) were also calculated from waist and hip values. The result showed a BMI prevalence of 3.6%, 7.3% and 0.8%; WC prevalence of 15.5%, 15.5% and 3%; WHR prevalence of 43.6%, 35.5% and 14.2%; WHtR prevalence of 56.4%, 51.8% and 40% all in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters respectively. A negative linear correlation was shown between the other indices and BMI as an independent variable in first trimester with value(r=‐0.015) against a (r=0.085 and 0.165) in WC and WHtR respectively. There was an association among the other anthropometric indices against BMI with no significant difference (p<0.05). The study provides a low prevalence of BMI and WC and also a high prevalence of WHR and WHtR in relation to WHO values as well as establishing 1st trimester as a good indicator of obesity in pregnant women and WHtR as a better predictor of obesity in the population studied. The results of this study are recommended as a guide for clinical judgement in management of obesity.