Obesity and fat distribution in women from Saudi Arabia

Anthropometric measurements were carried out on 100 women selected randomly from the population of two cities in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. The data obtained in this study were then compared to those reported earlier for European countries. This comparison indicates that the Saudi women are on average more obese than their European counterparts, with a preponderance of abdominal obesity. This is discussed in terms of socio-economic changes which this area has undergone in the last 50 years.