Obesity is a widespread public health challenge in the Middle East, maintaining prevalence in 54.2% of women and 31.4% of men in this region. Overweight and obese women have a higher risk of hypertension and cardiovascular risk factors than women with a standard BMI, according to an analysis of the ANCORS-YW STUDY presented at ACC Middle East 2024.

The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions that address socioeconomic determinants of health to reduce the cardiovascular risk burden in young Middle Eastern women.

“Young Middle Eastern women who are obese or overweight are facing a higher risk for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and its associated risk factors like hypertension and type 2 diabetes,” said Mohammad Adnan Bani Baker, MD, a medical doctor at Prince Hamza Hospital in Amman, Jordan.

The researchers used data from the ANCORS-YW study to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors associated with being overweight among young Middle Eastern women. The study had a total of 626 participants, with ages ranging from 18 years to 50 years old.

The average age of the participants was approximately 42.9 years old. Participants were evaluated by health professionals, medical residents and medical students. Focusing on this demographic allowed the authors to better understand the early onset of cardiovascular risk factors associated with obesity in this life stage.

“This demographic is often underrepresented in global research and literature, especially when it comes to the Middle East, despite the region’s high rates of obesity and cardiovascular disease. I was drawn to this topic because of the alarming rise in these conditions in Middle Eastern women, which poses a significant public health challenge,” Bani Baker said.

“It is our hope that this study would bring attention and call for more targeted interventions to protect this vulnerable population.”

The results showed that overweight and obese women had a higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disease of pregnancy and persistent weight gain after pregnancy. The study also found overweight and obese women were more likely to be older and have a low level of education.

To reduce the cardiovascular risk burden in this population, Bani Baker recommended a multi-disciplinary intervention that includes lifestyle modification programs, public health campaigns, educational programs and socioeconomic support. Lifestyle modification programs would promote a healthy diet and increased exercise, tailored to the cultural preferences in the Middle East.

Raising awareness about these cardiovascular risk factors, public health campaigns would encourage early detection and treatment for hypertension and diabetes among young women in the Middle East.

The educational programs would be targeted towards young women, especially those with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, and highlight the significance of weight management before and after pregnancy. Socioeconomic support should be provided at cardiovascular screenings to help women from lower educational and income levels overcome the barriers they face accessing health care, Bani Baker said.

“Tailored preventive strategies, informed by gender-specific factors, are essential for achieving global cardiovascular health objectives,” Bani Baker said. “Our findings help health care providers to develop earlier prevention programs and raise awareness regarding the importance of weight management.”