Overweight, Obesity, and Lifestyle Practices among Adults at an Urban Market in Douala, Cameroon: A Cross-Sectional Study European Scientific Journal ESJ

https://www.academia.edu/178897770/Overweight_Obesity_and_Lifestyle_Practices_among_Adults_at_an_Urban_Market_in_Douala_Cameroon_A_Cross_Sectional_Study Background: Overweight and obesity represent a major public health crisis in urban sub-Saharan Africa. Cameroon records high urban overweight and obesity rates, yet empirical data specifically characterising lifestyle practices in high-risk urban commercial settings remain scarce. Objective: To assess lifestyle modification practices and body mass index (BMI) categories among adults at Marché Tankho, Bonaberi, Douala, and to discuss implications for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 530 adults recruited by convenience sampling. Anthropometric measurements were obtained and BMI was calculated per WHO (2024) criteria. A structured, bilingual, pre-tested questionnaire assessed dietary habits, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS v26.0 and presented as frequencies and percentages. Results: The largest single age group (38.9%) was 26–35 years; 71.5% were female; 47.5% had tertiary education. The combined overweight and obesity prevalence was 54.7% (overweight 42.1%; obesity 12.6%), exceeding the pooled national estimates for Cameroonian adults (26.0% overweight, 15.1% obesity) and situating this market population above the national reference point. Regular consumption of sugary drinks was reported by 70.9%, late-night eating by 64.7%, and fast food intake ≥3–4 times per week by 39.4%. Although 78.1% reported regular exercise, sedentary behaviour was high: 42.3% sat for 4–6 hours daily and 53.8% used motorised transport for short distances. Only 36.0% were classified as having a good overall dietary level. Conclusion: Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent at Marché Tankho, and findings point to considerable gaps in protective lifestyle practices in this population. Based on these prevalence and lifestyle patterns rather than tested intervention evidence, multi-component, community-level interventions integrating nursing health promotion, physiotherapy-guided physical activity programming, and public health policy represent a reasonable policy direction to address this burden. European Scientific Journal ESJ European Scientific Institute, ESI, ESI, Department Member https://euinstitute.academia.edu/EuropeanScientificJournalESJ