The incidence of obesity worldwide and in Saudi Arabia is alarming and represents a serious health risk. As a known risk factor for hypertension, obesity has serious consequences for morbidity and death. The purpose of this systematic review was to compile data about the prevalence, demographic trends, and related comorbidities of obesity in hypertensive patients receiving primary care in Saudi Arabia. This review focused on papers published between the years 2013 and 2024 searched from PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science. Observational studies on hypertension patients in Saudi Arabia that documented the prevalence of obesity, related demographic characteristics, and comorbidities were eligible, and narrative techniques were used to extract and synthesize the data. Six studies with between 232 and 10,293 individuals were included in the review. The percentage of hypertension patients who were obese varied from 37.9% to 63.6%, with females consistently reporting greater rates. Hypertension (p < 0.01), diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and other chronic illnesses, including thyroid problems and sleep apnea, were all highly linked to obesity. There were clear gender and geographical differences, with women and people in particular areas having greater rates of obesity. Overall, obesity among hypertensive patients in Saudi Arabia remains a critical public health concern, with significant gender disparities and associations with chronic comorbidities. Targeted interventions focusing on gender-specific strategies and region-specific lifestyle factors are needed. Further research should explore behavioral and psychosocial drivers and assess the long-term effectiveness of public health initiatives in reducing obesity prevalence.
Key words: Obesity, hypertension, chronic comorbidities, Saudi Arabia, systemic review.
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