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Obesity (BMI ≥30) affects nearly half (49.6%) of the Saudi adult population, with women having significantly higher rates of obesity (BMI >35) and central obesity compared to men.

Obesity is a major health issue in Saudi Arabia, affecting nearly half of adults. Women are disproportionately affected by severe obesity and central adiposity. Addressing environmental barriers to exercise and promoting safe spaces for physical activity can help mitigate this risk.

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49.6% obesity... Women were more likely to be obese, have central obesity... Compared with women, men had a significantly higher proportion of... obesity with BMI 30–35 (39.9% vs 32.4%, P < 0.001)... Women had higher prevalence of obesity with BMI > 35 (26.1% vs 14.5%, P < 0.001), central obesity (70.7% vs 32.7%, P < 0.001)
Khalid F. AlHabib et al. · BMC Public Health · 2020

Why this rating

Cross-sectional observational study; self-reported and measured data.

Source

Demographic, behavioral, and cardiovascular disease risk factors in the Saudi population: results from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology study (PURE-Saudi)

Khalid F. AlHabib et al. · BMC Public Health · 2020

DOI 10.1186/s12889-020-09298-w

cohort · n=2047Cited 154×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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