The Effect of Body Mass on Aging and Health in Nigeria

Abstract

Body mass in this context is synonymous with body weight. The body mass index of an individual is always considered in relation to a person’s age, sex and height. The physical appearance of an individual can be described by an onlooker as fat or slim and the interest of this work is to find out how body mass can affect health and ageing, knowing that body weight can mean different things to different persons based on the environment and cultural settings. This is a descriptive study and its source of data is derived from primary and secondary sources and literature from outside Nigeria serve as means of validating this work; and six hundred persons were sampled using the probability sample technique. The framework of this study is the life course approach in that, from birth to death, the human body undergoes changes and the observed changes are imperative. This work proposes that the more fat or bulkier a person is, the faster he ages and the more the associated health challenges. This work finds out that, several forces affect body mass (weight) and the amount of body mass directly affects health and the health status determines or affects ageing. Albeit, the study recommends that though certain factors that affect ageing are genetically determined, individuals should deliberately resolve to maintain healthy weight through the choice of healthy living. That is the life style of a people when modified through available knowledge; persons will attain quality health and by extension age gracefully.