An Overview of Obesity and Bariatric Surgery: a Community-Based Study in Buraydah City, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Saleh Al Mesned, Dr. Abdulrahman Al Mesned, Dr. Majeda Farajat

Background. Saudi Arabia (SA) has been widely involved in the epidemic of obesity. In 2016, World statistics showed that SA was highly rankedin obesity with a prevalence of around 34%. Management of obesity can include lifestyle changes, medications, or Bariatric Surgery (BS). BS has been shown to be effective intervention for weight loss, diabetes management, Dyslipidemia, and reducing mortality risk. Accordingly, this studyaimed to assess knowledge and awareness of Buraydah Community about obesity with regards to causes and management including BS. Methods. This cross-sectional survey targeted the general population in Buraydah City, Saudi Arabia from June to July 2018. The survey covered multiple public places in Buraydah using aconvenience sample (n=516). Data were collected using two tools; self-administered questionnaires and Anthropometric measurements of weight and height. The questionnaire encompassed a set of socio-demographic variables, awareness of obesity’s causes and prevention and awareness of BS as a management for obesity. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-Square test. Results. Around one fourth of the sample (24.4%) were classified to be obese, the vast majority of participants (90.5%) were unaware of their own BMI classification. Furthermore, participants generally had a good general knowledge about obesity, most of them believed that lack of physical activity was the most common cause of obesity and that engaging in sport activities is the best management of obesity. The majority of the sampled community members (78.3%) had a good knowledge about BS, whereas 21.7% of them showed positive attitude toward BS. Furthermore, Social media was the most common source of information about BS. Significant differences in knowledge about BS were limited to gender, while significant differences in attitude included age group, marital status, educational level, and classification of BMI and knowledge of self-BMI. Conclusion. Although the prevalence of obesity in Buraydah City is a little less than other regions of SA, a local strategy to compact this epidemic is needed. The option of BS for eligible cases of obesity should be addressed. Accordingly, efforts needed to educate the public about BS, which is an ultimate solution for obesity.

https://doi.org/10.31871/WJRR.8.2.13