Obesity in Black Women in Soweto, South Africa: Minimal Effects on Hypertension, Hyperlipidaemia and Hyperglycaemia

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Abstract
STUDIES were made on 50 South African urban black obese women aged 25-40 years, with Body Mass Index (BMI) (Kg/m2) of 29.5 or more, and on 50 non-obese women with BMI of 25 or less. In the two groups, mean triceps skinfolds were 25.5mm and 17.8mm, respectively. Hypertension (≥160/95mm Hg) was present in 6 and 4 women (12% and 8%), hypercholesterolaemia (≥5.2mmol/l) in 5 and 3 women (10% and 6%), hypertriglyceridaemia (≥1.8mmol/l) in 5 and 3 (10% and 6%), and hyperglycaemia (≥7.8mmol/l) in 2 and 1 women (4% and 2%). One or more adverse sequelae were present in 11 (22%) obese and in 9 (18%) of non-obese women, proportions not significantly different. Dietarily, mean daily intakes were — Kcals 2273 and 2240, protein 73g and 70g (12.9% and 12.5% energy), fat 65g and 67g (25.7% and 26.9% energy), carbohydrate 349g and 330g (61.4% and 60.5% energy), and dietary fibre, 12g and 13g. In this low socioeconomic and low fat dietary context, obesity in the black women studied was not specifically evocative of deleterious sequelae of obesity.