Background: Obesity is a public health problem among the general population worldwide, which adversely affects the productivity of the patient, quality of life, and increases the rate of morbidity, so it increases the health burden of individuals. Few studies investigated the impact of body mass index (BMI) on gastrointestinal disorders in Saudi Arabia.
Aim of the Study: This study aims to assess the impact of BMI on gastrointestinal (GIT) disorders among the population in Saudi Arabia.
Methods: It is a cross-sectional study carried out in the outpatient clinic, primary healthcare units, and hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire distributed electronically among the Saudi population aged > 18 years old. The questionnaire included questions regarding demographic characteristics. In addition, it included other questions about the most common symptoms of GIT and the impact of BMI on GIT disorders among the population. Data were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 22. A p-value lower than 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: A total of 355 Saudi individuals of different ages and educational levels participated in the present study. Among them, 34.4% were overweight and 34.4% were obese. Gastrointestinal symptoms were present in the majority of participants (76.9%), but most of them (77.5%) had normal GIT disorders and normal endoscopy results (86.6%). On the other hand, 22.5% of the respondents had abnormal GIT disorders and the most common GIT disorder was gastritis (12.1%). Education (p = 0.039), physical activity levels (0.00) and smoking habits (0.017) were factors that were significantly associated with obesity among our population. However, GIT symptoms (p = 0.101), GIT disorders (p = 0.142) and endoscopy results (p = 0.478) did not have a significant association with obesity among the study population.
Conclusion: TThere is a high prevalence of obesity among the Saudi population. Sociodemographic characteristics such as education, physical activity levels and smoking habits can affect obesity. However, there is no association between obesity and gastrointestinal disorders among the study population.
Key words: Impact ;Body Mass Index ; Gastrointestinal Disorders
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