Introduction:

obesity is a disease that greatly affects the region of the Americas. This condition implies an increase risk of developing serious health outcomes such as cardiometabolic disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. The prevalence of excess weight in Costa Rica was 59.7 % and 77.3 % in women aged 20 to 44 years old and 45 to 65 years old respectively, and 62,4 % in men aged 20-65 years old, in the period of 2008-2009, however, it is unknown how this condition was evolved.

Objective:

to describe the anthropometric profile and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Costa Rican urban population according to sociodemographic characteristics and level of physical activity.

Materials and methods:

a representative sample of the urban population was selected between November 2014 and May 2015, comprising 677 people between 20 and 65 years old. Measures of height, weight, and waist and neck circumference were measured and the prevalence of obesity, abdominal and cervical obesity was determined, according to the cut-off points established for each indicator.

Results:

the prevalence of excess weight (overweight and obesity) was 68.5 % among urban Costa Rican population, being higher for women (73.8 %), and for those participants over 35 years old (82.2 %). A 70.3 % of the population presented abdominal obesity and 46,8 % cervical obesity.

Conclusions:

in Costa Rica, the prevalence of obesity found is high compared to other regions of the world and has increased in relation to the National Nutrition Survey 2008-2009. The approach to obesity must be prioritized in order to prevent the development of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and thus reduce the impact of these diseases on the health of the individual and the economic costs of health care.

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