Rising Overweight-Obesity and Its Socio-Demographic Correlates in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2000-2011

Yibeltal T. Bayou, World Health Organization (WHO)
Charles H. Teller, George Washington University and Addis Ababa University
Uriyoan Colon-Ramos, George Washington University

This paper examines changes in the prevalence of underweight and overweight/obesity in non-pregnant women of reproductive age (ages 15-49), and their main socio-demographic correlates in Addis Ababa. The data used for this study were taken from 2000, 2005 and 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys. The prevalence of overweight/obesity rose significantly from 16.1% to 20.6%; while underweight decreased from 17.9% to 14.1% between 2000 and 2011. Overall, one-third (34.7%) of these women in this African political capital are malnourished. The multivariate odds ratios demonstrate that the women aged 30-49 are 5 times more likely to be overweight/obese as those 15-19, and women with secondary education are twice as likely as their uneducated counterparts. At the current rate of decline in underweight or increase in overweight/obesity, after ten years, nearly 40% of the women will be under this malnutrition trap, with serious health consequences that require new and comprehensive policies.