Blood lipids and body fat in Bahraini women

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine some biomedical parameters of a representative sample from the population of overweight and obese, and average weight Bahraini women visiting 2 health centers in Bahrain.

METHODS: This study was conducted over a period of 4 months in 2 health centers in the urban city of Muharraq in Bahrain, namely Muharraq Health Center and Shaikh Salman Health Center. The association was examined between body mass index, and the distribution of body fat determined by the waist hip ratio. Serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as well as glucose levels were measured.

RESULTS: The 2 groups of pre-menopausal women selected for this study were of similar age (mean of 30.4 and 30.7 years) but differed significantly in their body mass index values; however, their mean waist hip ratio was similar (0.80 and 0.82). The type of obesity shown by these Bahraini women was not associated with an elevation of serum glucose concentrations, or with significant differences in either serum cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations. There was however, a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups with respect to the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which was lower in the obese group, compared with the lean counterparts. Furthermore, the ratio of high-density lipoprotein to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly lower in the obese subjects, compared with the controls.

CONCLUSION: Obesity in a group of Bahraini women was associated with indices predisposing to coronary heart disease, and this has public health implications.