Background: Obesity is a rapidly growing health risk all over the world. Even in mild degrees, it has serious adverse effects and is associated with diminished life span. The study was aimed at determining the most suitable obesity index derived from height and weight in a young adult Nigerian population.
Methods: A cross-sectional study of students of University of Nigeria Enugu Campus was done. Heights and weights of 402 males and 268 females aged between 20 and 28 were measured. Weight-height ratio (W/H), body mass index (W/H2), Rohrer's index (W/H3) and ponderal index (H/W(1/3)) were calculated.
Results: Zero-order correlation coefficients of these indices with height and weight showed that body mass index was the only index not significantly correlated with height in both sexes. Weight-height ratio and Rohrer's index underestimated the degree of obesity in short subjects and overestimated it in tall subjects. The reverse was the case for ponderal index.
Conclusions: Body mass index (W/H2) is the most suitable index derived from height and weight for the assessment of obesity in our study population. We recommend its use in busy clinical practice and epidemiological studies.