Pattern and Determinants of Obesity among Makola Market Women, Ghana

A global health issue confronting many countries is the problem of obesity. This book displays how survey and anthropometric methods are employed to investigate the patterns and determinants of obesity among Makola women traders engaged in informal careers in Ghana, West Africa. In this book, it is established that Makola market women are indeed obese, and there is a significant variation in the proportion of obese women in relation to some socio-demographic characteristics such as age, income status, spatial location, ethnic affiliation and ownership status of stall. Factors such as behavioral, biological, structural, social and psychological contributors to obesity among these women are discussed. This book further recommends that lifestyle, behavioral, structural and social modifications should be encouraged specifically among Makola market women and in general among all women engaged in sedentary careers in order to curb obesity.