Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Congolese Patients: Epidemiological, Clinical, and Evolutionary Profile – A Cross‑Sectional Study of 114 Cases in Brazzaville

Obésité et Diabète Sucré de Type 2 chez le Sujet Congolais : Profil Épidémiologique, Clinique et Évolutif – Une Étude Transversale de 114 Cas à Brazzaville

Authors

  • Farel Elilie Mawa Ongoth 1. Service de Maladies Métaboliques et Endocriniennes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brazzaville
  • Nestor Andzouana Mbamognoua 1. Service de Maladies Métaboliques et Endocriniennes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brazzaville
  • Jordy Maurice Kono Boukoulou 1. Service de Maladies Métaboliques et Endocriniennes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brazzaville
  • Loumade Elenga-Bongo 2. Service de Maladies Métaboliques et Endocriniennes, Hôpital Général Adolphe SICE, Pointe-Noire, Congo
  • Raïssa Laure Mayanda 1. Service de Maladies Métaboliques et Endocriniennes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brazzaville
  • Joel Rudy Ekoundzola 1. Service de Maladies Métaboliques et Endocriniennes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brazzaville
  • O. Yvonne Marline Dinghat 1. Service de Maladies Métaboliques et Endocriniennes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brazzaville
  • Aymande Okoumou-Moko 1. Service de Maladies Métaboliques et Endocriniennes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brazzaville
  • Séverin Eloi Nkoua 1. Service de Maladies Métaboliques et Endocriniennes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brazzaville
  • Rolly Junior Louzolo-Kimbembe 1. Service de Maladies Métaboliques et Endocriniennes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brazzaville
  • Evariste Bouenizabila 1. Service de Maladies Métaboliques et Endocriniennes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brazzaville
  • Henri Germain Monabeka 1. Service de Maladies Métaboliques et Endocriniennes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brazzaville

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18630646

Keywords:

Obesity, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, Brazzaville

Abstract

Introduction. In Congo, local data describing the characteristics of the association between obesity and diabetes mellitus remain limited. The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiological, clinical and evolutionary characteristics of the association between these two conditions in Congolese subjects in Brazzaville. Patients and Methods. This was an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted from 1 May to 31 December 2025 in the metabolic and endocrine diseases department of the Brazzaville University Hospital Centre, involving adult patients (aged ≥ 18 years) of Congolese nationality with obesity (body mass index or BMI ≥30 kg/m2) with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Results. The study involved 114 patients with a mean age of 44.30 ± 8.8 years, with a predominance of females (61.4%). The mean duration of diabetes mellitus was 6.98 ± 2.58 years. The mean HbA1C was 8.55 ± 1.34%. Android obesity was present in 90.4% of cases. The average BMI was 37.12 ± 4.6 kg/m². Comorbidities associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus were high blood pressure (52.63%), dyslipidaemia (63.2%) and metabolic syndrome (91.22%). Patients presented with cardiovascular complications (49.1%), osteoarticular complications (29.8%) and metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease (MASLD) in 53.5% of cases. They were treated with oral and injectable non-insulin antidiabetic drugs in 44.7% of cases. Conclusion. The combination of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with significant morbidity. Optimising prevention strategies, early screening and multidisciplinary management is essential.

References

1. Celletti F, Farrar J, De Regil L. World Health Organization Guideline on the Use and Indications of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Therapies for the Treatment of Obesity in Adults. JAMA. 2026; 335 (5): 434-438.

2. Kusunoki-Tsuji C, Araki SI, Kume S, Chin-Kanasaki M, Osawa N, Morino K, Sekine O, Ugi S, Kashiwagi A, Maegawa H. Impact of obesity on annual medical expenditures and diabetes care in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Diabetes Investig. 2018l; 9(4):776-781

3. Artasensi A, Mazzolari A, Pedretti A, Vistoli G, Fumagalli L. Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes: Adiposopathy as a Triggering Factor and Therapeutic Options. Molecules. 2023 ;28(7):3094.

4. Safaei M, Sundararajan EA, Driss M, Boulila W, Shapi'i A. A systematic literature review on obesity: Understanding the causes & consequences of obesity and reviewing various machine learning approaches used to predict obesity. Comput Biol Med. 2021;136:104754.

5. Sorensen TIA, Martinez AR, Jørgensen TSH. Epidemiology of Obesity. Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2022; 274:3-27.

6. Gao S, Zhang H, Long C, Xing Z. Association Between Obesity and Microvascular Diseases in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021 ;12:719515.

7. Correia J, Pataky Z, Golay A. Comprendre l’obésité en Afrique : Poids du developpement et des représentations. Rev Med Suisse 2014 ; 10 : 712-6

8. Chandrasekaran P, Weiskirchen R. The Role of Obesity in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus-An Overview. Int J Mol Sci. 2024;25(3):1882.

9. Ebenguela Ebatetou A, Pambou B, Menga PRK, Moukassa D. Aspects épidémiologiques de l’obésité en milieu professionnel à Pointe-Noire, Congo-Brazzaville. Mali medical. 2020 ; 3 : 28-34.

10. Monabeka HG, Mayanda RL, Andzouana N et al. Diabète atypique à tendance cétosique : à propos de 52 cas au CHU de Brazzaville, Congo. Médecine des Maladies Métaboliques. 2012 ; 6(5) : 443-446

11. Elilie Mawa Ongoth F, Kondo RG, Mikolélé Ahoui Apendi PC et al. Risk Factors for Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolic Dysfunction–Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Brazzaville. Open Journal of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases. 2025 ; 15 : 142-153.

12. -World Health organization. Physical status: the use and interpretation of anthropometry. Report of a WHO Expert Committee. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser. 1995; 854 :1-452.

13. Du AL, Tully JL, Curran BP, Gabriel RA. Obesity and outcomes in patients undergoing upper airway surgery for obstructive sleep apnea. PLoS One. 2022;17(8):e0272331.

14. Alberti, K.G.M.M., Eckel, R.H., Grundy, S.M., Zimmet, P.Z., Cleeman, J.I., Donato,K.A., et al. (2009) Harmonizing the Metabolic Syndrome : A Joint Interim Statement of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention;National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; American Heart Association ; WorldHeart Federation; International Atherosclerosis Society; and International Association for the Study of Obesity. Circulation, 120, 1640-1645.

15. GBD 2021 Adult BMI Collaborators. Global, regional, and national prevalence of adult overweight and obesity, 1990-2021, with forecasts to 2050 : a forecasting study for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet. 2025 ;405(10481):813-838.

16. Wharton S, Sharma AM, Lau DCW . Prise en charge du poids en présence de diabète. Can J Diabetes 2013 ; 37: S453-S458.

17. Bita Fouda AA, Lemogoum D, Owona Manga J et al. Epidémiologie de l’obésité en milieu de travail à Douala, Cameroun. Rev Med Brux.2012; 33 : 131-137.

18. Schlienger JL. Le fardeau de l’obésité : épidémiologie et coût. Médecine des Maladies Métaboliques. 2025; 19 (1): 10-17.

19. Lotfi Z, Aboussaleh Y, Sbaibi R, Achouri I, Benguedour R. Le surpoids, l’obésité et le contrôle glycémique chez les diabétiques du centre de référence provincial de diabète (CRD), Kénitra, Maroc. Pan Afr Med J. 2017;27:189.

20. Elilie Mawa Ongoth F, Andzouana Mbamognoua N, Ekoundzola JR et al. Observance thérapeutique chez les patients atteints de diabète sucré de type 2 suivis au Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brazzaville. Rev Afr End Métab Nut. 2025; 11 (1): 5-10.

21. Bijelic R, Balaban J, Milicevic S, Sipka SU. The Association of Obesity and Microvascular Complications with Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Med Arch. 2020;74(1):14-18.

22. Qiao T, Luo T, Pei H, Yimingniyazi B, Aili D, Aimudula A, Zhao H, Zhang H, Dai J, Wang D. Association between abdominal obesity indices and risk of cardiovascular events in Chinese populations with type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2022;21(1):225.

23. Standl E. Dysglycemia and abdominal obesity. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2012;10(6):678-9.

24. Hue A, Mahamane Sani Ma, Koffi Dago P et al. Obésité Abdominale et Complications du Diabète de Type 2 chez l’Africain Noir au Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Yopougon, Abidjan. Health Sci. Dis. 2018 ;19 (4) : 7-9.

25. Inna AAH, Amadou Ibrahima A, Boli A et al.Le Diabète Sucré en Milieu Hospitalier Dans le Nord du Cameroun : Aspects Épidémiocliniques, Paracliniques et Thérapeutiques. Health Sci. Dis. 2024; 25 (9): 48-53.

26. -Rorive M, Letiexhe MR , Scheen AJ. Obésité et diabète de type 2. Rev Med Liege 2005; 60 (5-6) : 374-382.

27. Al-Sulaiti H, Diboun I, Agha MV, Mohamed FFS, Atkin S, Dömling AS, Elrayess MA, Mazloum NA. Metabolic signature of obesity-associated insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. J Transl Med. 2019;17(1):348.

28. Jastreboff AM, le Roux CW, Stefanski A, Aronne LJ, Halpern B, Wharton S, Wilding JPH, Perreault L, Zhang S, Battula R, Bunck MC, Ahmad NN, Jouravskaya I; SURMOUNT-1 Investigators. Tirzepatide for Obesity Treatment and Diabetes Prevention. N Engl J Med. 2025;392(10):958-971.

29. -Rendell MS. Obesity and diabetes: the final frontier. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab. 2023 ;18(1):81-94

30. Elmaleh-Sachs A, Schwartz JL, Bramante CT, Nicklas JM, Gudzune KA, Jay M. Obesity Management in Adults: A Review. JAMA. 2023;330(20):2000-2015.

Published

02/25/2026

How to Cite

Farel Elilie Mawa Ongoth, Nestor Andzouana Mbamognoua, Jordy Maurice Kono Boukoulou, Loumade Elenga-Bongo, Raïssa Laure Mayanda, Joel Rudy Ekoundzola, … Henri Germain Monabeka. (2026). Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Congolese Patients: Epidemiological, Clinical, and Evolutionary Profile – A Cross‑Sectional Study of 114 Cases in Brazzaville: Obésité et Diabète Sucré de Type 2 chez le Sujet Congolais : Profil Épidémiologique, Clinique et Évolutif – Une Étude Transversale de 114 Cas à Brazzaville. HEALTH RESEARCH IN AFRICA, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18630646

Issue

Section

Research Articles

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.