Background: Abnormal body mass and related metabolic disorders may affect female reproductive health.
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of under- and overweight, and also related metabolic disorders, among women at procreative age in Warsaw.
Material and methods: 164 non-pregnant women at procreative age (20-49 years) living in Warsaw, who in 2011-2012 participated in the WAW-KARD cross-sectional study of the Warsaw population, assigned to 3 age groups: 20-29 years (n=17), 30-39 years (n=78) and 40-49 years (n=69).
Results: Under- and overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity was found in respectively 1.2%, 25%, 12.2% and 37.2% of the participants. Prevalence of excessive body mass tended to increase with age. Hypercholesterolemia was shown in 42.7% of the whole group and was particularly widespread in the oldest females (56.5%). Prevalence of low serum HDL-cholesterol levels (found in 13.4% of the whole group) tended to increase with age, on the borderline of statistical significance. The mean fasting glucose level was 5.0±0.4 mmol/l and tended to increase with age. Impaired fasting glucose concerned 7.7% and 10.6% of females in age groups of 30-39 and 40-49 years respectively, and diabetes 4.4% of females 40-49 years old. Prevalence of arterial hypertension and metabolic syndrome (MS) in the whole group was 10.4% and 7.3% respectively; prevalence of MS tended to increase with age, on the borderline of statistical significance.
Conclusions: Overweight and obesity, especially of abdominal type, are prevalent in women at procreative age in Warsaw. Disturbances of lipid and glucose metabolism, as well as arterial hypertension and MS, are also frequent. Prevalence of many of them tended to increase with age. Some of the women exhibited diabetes.