Healthy Lifestyle Behavior and BMI Status among Ghanaian Women

Fidelia A. A. Dake, University of Ghana
Philomena E. Nyarko, University of Ghana
Ama de-Graft Aikins, University of Ghana

This study assessed the influence of comprehensive healthy lifestyle behaviour (CHLB) on the BMI status of Ghanaian women by employing multinomial logistic regression analysis. A total of 4,832 Ghanaian women aged between 15-49 years with valid BMI values formed the study sample. A comprehensive healthy lifestyle behaviour index was computed to assess lifestyle behaviour among the respondents. Only 1.3% of the respondents had very good comprehensive healthy lifestyle behaviour. Comprehensive healthy lifestyle behaviour was significantly related to BMI status. Respondents who had very poor CHLB were the most likely to be obese, while those with very good behaviour were the least likely to be obese. Living a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the rising prevalence of obesity and its co-morbidities like hypertension which can translate into lower mortality rates. Implementation and promotion of health policies that encourage healthy lifestyles among Ghanaians is very essential to ensuring overall population health.