Obesity and Hypertension among Christian Religious Subgroups: Pentecostal vs. Orthodox
Nafiu Amidu *
Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana.
William K. B. A. Owiredu
Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Abdul-Wahid Mohammed
Information Systems Unit, Central Administration, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana.
Peter P. M. Dapare
Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana.
Benedict B. Antuamwine
Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana.
Vida E. Sitsofe
Department of Community Nutrition, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana.
Juliet Adjeiwaa
Department of Community Nutrition, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of religious practices and diet doctrines on obesity and hypertension among Pentecostal and orthodox Christians in the Tamale metropolis.
Study Design: This study was a cross sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted between January and June 2014, at the Tamale metropolis, Ghana.
Methodology: Three hundred (300) Ghanaian subjects (50.3% Pentecostal participants from the Perez Chapel International and the Church of Pentecost and 49.7% Orthodox participants from the Presbyterian Church and Bethel Methodist Church), 18-72 years of age were recruited for this study. Anthropometric measurements including height, weight, waist and hip circumference as well as blood pressure were measured for each of the study participants.
Results: The male participants were taller, heavier with higher mean WHR as well as higher mean SBP as compared to the female participants. The females however, had broader hips as compared to the male participants. The males were more likely to fully comply with the religious prescription on fasting (52.6% vs. 40.7%; p = 0.0397) and diet (30.8% vs. 20.4%; p = 0.0375) as compared to the female. The prevalence of obesity among the population in this study ranged from 17% to 28% depending on the criteria used in the weight classification (i.e. BMI, WHR and WC) and the prevalence of hypertension was 15.0% with no significant difference between both genders.
Conclusion: This study highlights the significant increase in the prevalence of obesity and hypertension among both males and female populations, with obesity being more prevalent among females. Compliance to religious doctrines on fasting and or diet does not have an impact on the prevalence of obesity and hypertension from this study.
Keywords: Obesity, hypertension, pentecostal, orthodox