A Study on Obesity and Its Risk Factors Associated with Mizāj (Temperament) of the Person in Maharu Village, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka

Abstract Obesity is an increasing health issue globally, causing significant adverse health effects among adults. An imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure leads to obesity, a major contributor to several life-threatening noncommunicable diseases. This study aimed to examine obesity and its associated risk factors in relation to Mizāj (temperament) in Maharu village, Trincomalee. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among males and females with a body mass index of more than 30 in the village. A random sampling technique was used to select 206 participants. Data were collected through questionnaires, and ethical approval was obtained from the relevant Ethics Review Committee (Reference: ERC UG 24/303) before data collection. The age of participants ranged from 25 to 76 years, with a majority (72%) being female adults and 28% being male adults. Based on Unani medicine principles, 54.4% of the participants had Balghamī Mizāj (Phlegmatic temperament), 44.7% had Damawī Mizāj (Sanguinous temperament), and the remaining participants belonged to Safravi (bilious temperament) and Sawdāwī Mizāj (melancholic temperament). The study revealed that most participants exhibited poor food habits and a lack of physical exercise. This study suggests that unhealthy lifestyles and poor dietary habits play a significant role in obesity within this population. The findings show that individuals with Balghamī Mizāj were susceptible to be affected more by obesity than the other three Mizāj individuals. This warrants further investigation into the potential association between temperament and obesity risk factors.