Aim: To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among patients attending oral and maxillofacial outpatient
clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria; and discuss the clinical and surgical implications that obesity has
on the delivery of oral and maxillofacial surgical and anaesthetic care.
Methods: Consecutive patients presenting to the oral and maxillofacial surgery outpatient clinic at the Lagos University
Teaching Hospital, Nigeria over a 4-month period (May-August 2004) were screened for age, sex, height and weight. All of
the patients were treated for dentoalveolar surgical procedures (routine and surgical extractions), incisional and excisional
biopsies, and enucleation under local anaesthesia.
Results: The BMIs of the studied patients ranged from 16.7 to 39.8 kg/m
2, with a mean of 24.6 ± 4.5 kg/m
2. Prevalence
of excess weight was 39.1%. Thirty-one (11.4%) patients were obese and 75 (27.7%) patients were overweight. A significant
difference was observed in the BMIs of male and female patients (P=0.000). The age groups < 30 years had mean BMIs that
were considered normal; whereas other age groups above 30 years had mean BMIs that were considered overweight.
Prevalence of obesity increases with increasing age. Obese individuals were seen in all the age groups except those < 20 years.
Conculsions: The prevalence of excess weight (overweight and obesity) in patients presenting in the studied oral and
maxillofacial outpatient setting was 39.1%. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon needs to be aware of obesity-/overweight-related
medical and surgical issues and take them into consideration when treating these patients.
