Overweight and obesity among patients attending a Nigerian oral surgery clinic: implications for oral surgical practice in Nigeria

Aim

To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among patients attending oral and maxillofacial outpatient clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria; and discuss the clinical and surgical implications that obesity has on the delivery of oral and maxillofacial surgical and anaesthetic care.

Methods

Consecutive patients presenting to the oral and maxillofacial surgery outpatient clinic at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria over a 4-month period (May–August 2004) were screened for age, sex, height and weight. All of the patients were treated for dentoalveolar surgical procedures (routine and surgical extractions), incisional and excisional biopsies, and enucleation under local anaesthesia.

Results

The BMIs of the studied patients ranged from 16.7 to 39.8 kg/m², with a mean of 24.6 ± 4.5 kg/m². Prevalence of excess weight was 39.1%. Thirty-one (11.4%) patients were obese and 75 (27.7%) patients were overweight. A significant difference was observed in the BMIs of male and female patients (P=0.000). The age groups < 30 years had mean BMIs that were considered normal; whereas other age groups above 30 years had mean BMIs that were considered overweight. Prevalence of obesity increases with increasing age. Obese individuals were seen in all the age groups except those < 20 years.

Conculsions

The prevalence of excess weight (overweight and obesity) in patients presenting in the studied oral and maxillofacial outpatient setting was 39.1%. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon needs to be aware of obesity-/overweight-related medical and surgical issues and take them into consideration when treating these patients.