ANTHROPOMETRIC FACTORS AND LIFESTYLE CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH FIBROID TUMOR

ABSTRACT

This study investigated anthropometric factors and lifestyle characteristics associated with fibroid tumor. To guide the study, nine research questions were raised and seven hypotheses were formulated. Related literature were also reviewed.

The descriptive epidemiological approach utilizing the case-control epidemiological study design was used for the study. Purposive Sampling technique was used to select 400 consenting respondents(women) out of the 3,374 in and out patients of the gynaecology unit of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano and Gwarinpa General Hospital Abuja, FCT within five months from February to July, 2021. These women were made up of 200 in the case group (participants with fibroid) and 200 in the control group (non-fibroid). A self-developed questionnaire which was validated by experts in Health Education and Human Kinetics was used. A reliability coefficient of 0.75 was obtained using the test-retest reliability method. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics of chi-square were used to test the formulated seven hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance

The findings revealed that anthropometric factors (Body Mass Index BMI and Waist Hip Ratio WHR) and lifestyle characteristics (physical activities and dietary pattern) significantly influence the development of fibroid tumor in this study. Blood pressure, was not seen to have any influence on the development of fibroid tumor. Alcohol and tobacco were not also significant variables influencing the development of fibroid tumor in the study. This could be due to the location of the study. It was recommended that women avoid sedentary lifestyle by engaging in physical activities, eat healthy and take medical check-ups seriously.