DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i05.008

Pages: 1471-1478

Several studies in different populations indicate that obesity is a significant risk factor to the development of cardiovascular diseases, in part through its associations with dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. This study aims at evaluating lipid profile parameters, atherogenic index of plasma and anthropometric parameters among obese subjects in calabar, Nigeria. A total of one hundred and sixty subjects (160) were recruited for the study. One hundred and ten (110) obese subjects and fifty (50) non-obese control subjects. Anthropometric parameters and blood pressure were measured; body mass index and waist-hip ratio were calculated for all the participants recruited in this study. Obese subjects were further grouped based on their BMI values as; class I (BMI 30-34.9kg/m2), class II (BMI 35- 39.9kg/m2) and class III (BMI 40kg/m2 and above). Total cholesterol and triglycerides were determined using the enzymatic colorimetric method; high density lipoprotein cholesterol was determined using precipitation cholesterol enzymatic method. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol was calculated using the Friedewalet al., equation. Atherogenic index of plasma was calculated from the concentrations of TG and HDL using the formula; log TG/HDL.The mean values of T-C, TG, LDL, VLDL, AIP, SBP and DBP were significantly higher in obese subjects compared to the nonobese apparently healthy controls (P<0.05). HDL was however significantly lower in the obese participants compared to the controls (P < 0.05). The values of WHR, TG, VLDL, DBP and AIP were significantly higher in male obese subjects compared to obese female (P<0.05). A significant positive correlation was observed between WHR and TG (r = 0.260), BMI and SBP (r = 0.380), WHR and AIP (r = 0.244), among the obese subjects.Findings from the study suggest that obesity is a strong predictor of dyslipidemia which is associated with cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure.