Socio-environmental and behavioral risk factors associated with obesity in the capital (Honiara), the Solomon Islands; case-control study

- Assed the factors that contribute to obesity, whether socio-environmental or behavioral.
- Low education, low dietary diversity, and low intake of dark green leafy vegetables are the factors to increase rate of obesity.

ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the characteristics, nutrition status, consciousness of health of subjects in the Solomon Islands, and to assess the factors that contribute to obesity, whether socio - environmental or behavioral in the capital city of the Solomon Islands, to indicate the way for effective health promotion.MethodsA case-control study was conducted with 57 cases of obesity and 57 controls. Anthropometric measurements, the surveys of socio-economic status, behavioral status, nutrition status, dietary diversity, knowledge of NCDs, consciousness of health, and awareness of nutrition were conducted. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors significantly associated with obesity.ResultSignificant odds ratio of dietary diversity, education level, and frequency of dark green leafy vegetables was 0.71, 0.31 and 0.29, respectively. Cases significantly had lower amount of protein, consumed less fish, meat, and dark green leafy vegetables than controls.ConclusionThe present study suggested that higher educated people take care of their health to keep healthy weight, and low diversity of food intake and low frequency of eating green leafy vegetables are the factors to increase rate of obesity. Strategies to improve education standards, give people nutrition and health education to have more diverse food are needed.