Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Abdominal Obesity and Their Associated Factors in Duhok City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq: A Population‐Based Cross‐Sectional Study

Abstract

Background Obesity has become a global health epidemic, contributing significantly to numerous chronic diseases, including metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity and the associated factors in Duhok City, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Methods A population‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted in Duhok City, Iraq, including 490 participants aged 18 years and older. A multistage sampling technique was used, and data were collected via structured questionnaires covering sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Anthropometric measurements were used to classify participants according to their body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. Results The overall prevalence of overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity was 38.4%, 24.3%, and 72.9%, respectively. Factors significantly associated with overweight in multivariate logistic regression included age group 30–44 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.356, p = 0.018), married individuals (aOR: 2.040, p = 0.038), and smokers (aOR: 0.562, p = 0.045). Obesity was associated with age group 30–44 (aOR: 2.769, p = 0.030) and age group 45–59 (aOR: 5.384, p = 0.002). Abdominal obesity was significantly associated with gender, where males had lower odds compared to females (aOR: 0.248, p = <0.001), age group 30–44 (aOR: 2.630, p = 0.011), age group 45–59 (aOR: 4.793, p = 0.002), married individuals (aOR: 3.313, p = 0.001), and sleep disturbance (aOR: 1.790, p = 0.025). Conclusions The findings indicate a high prevalence of overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity in Duhok City, with various associated factors. Public health initiatives targeting these associated factors are essential to address the growing obesity epidemic in the region. Further studies with broader geographic coverage and larger sample sizes are needed to reinforce these results and inform policy interventions.