Estimation of the regional burden of non-communicable diseases due to obesity and overweight in Markazi province, Iran, 2006-2007

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Obesity and overweight are major determinants of health and quality of life. The World Health Organization (WHO) has always encouraged its member states to carry out studies on the attributable burden of these diseases at the national level, and use the study as the best guide to direct the health system policy. This study was thus undertaken in order to determine the regional burden of non-communicable diseases due to obesity and overweight. SETTING AND DESIGN: Counterfactual analysis of the death registration data in Markazi province of Iran was carried out. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We calculated the Years of Life Lost (YLL) according to the WHO's comparative risk assessment approach. Moreover, the attributable burden of obesity and overweight was determined by multiplying the impact fraction of risk factors with the YLL of major diseases, and the counterfactual analysis method was used. RESULTS: A total of 7,176 deaths were registered contributing to 252,214 YLL, due to premature mortality. The total YLL due to premature mortality among females and males were 102,245 and 149,969 years, respectively. The most important causes of the YLL were associated with obesity and overweight in cardiovascular diseases for females, and overweight in cardiovascular diseases for males (12,826, 8,755 and 7,375 years, respectively). CONCLUSION: In this study, the importance and necessity of the recognition of overweight and obesity as the major risk factors for non-communicable diseases was shown. Hence, it is necessary to develop and apply comprehensive interventions to reduce the effect of overweight and obesity, especially in females.