Prevalence of overweight/obesity and its associated factors among a sample of Moroccan type 2 diabetes patients

BACKGROUND: Obesity constitutes a major risk factor for the development of diabetes, and has been linked with poor glycaemic control among type 2 diabetic patients. AIMS: This study examines the prevalence of overweight/obesity and associated factors in type 2 diabetic patients in the Beni-Mellal Khenifra region in Morocco. METHODS: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 among 975 diabetes patients attending primary health centres. Demographic and clinical data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Anthropometric measurements, including body weight, height and waist circumference, were taken using standardized techniques and calibrated equipment. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight was 40.4%, the general obesity was 28.8% and the abdominal obesity was 73.7%. Using multivariate analysis, we noted that the general obesity was associated with female sex (AOR= 3,004, 95% CI: 1.761–5.104, P<0.001), increased age (AOR=2.192, 95% CI: 1.116–4.307, P<0.023) and good glycaemic control (AOR=1.594, 95% CI: 1.056–2.407, P=0.027), whereas abdominal obesity was associated wih female sex (AOR=2.654, 95% CI: 1.507–4.671, P<0.001) and insulin treatment (AOR=2.927, 95% CI: 1.031–8.757, P=0.048). CONCLUSION: Overweight, general obesity and abdominal obesity were high among participants, especially among women. Taken together, these findings urge the implementation of a roadmap for this diabetic subpopulation to have a new lifestyle.