Assessment of overweight, obesity and malnutrition status of Purana (old) population residing in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

A study of the Purana population, a genetically distinct group living near Sigiriya’s Bolder Garden complex, reveals lower rates of overweight and obesity compared to urban Sri Lankans. Using global and South Asian BMI cutoffs, researchers found that 9.3% of men and 17.6% of women were obese under global standards, while 20.6% of men and 47.2% of females met obesity criteria based on waist measurements. The study, involving 306 adults with Purana ancestry traced over three generations, employed precise anthropometric measurements to assess nutritional status. Findings suggest that this historically significant population maintains a leaner profile than broader Sri Lankan urban populations.

Chandimal, K. M., Kumara, D. A. S. S., & Yasawardene, S. G. (2023). Assessment of overweight, obesity and malnutrition status of Purana (old) population residing in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Anatomy Journal, 7(1), 31–39. https://doi.org/10.4038/slaj.v7i1.165