Nutritional Status of Women in Cameroon: Status Report Among Women in the City of Yaoundé

_INTRODUCTION._ Economic growth and urbanization in low- and middle-income countries are resulting in profound changes in people's lifestyles and consumption patterns, leading to an increase in the prevalence of obesity. The latter today constitutes a public health threat to which men and women are not equal. _OBJECTIVE._ This work aimed to determine women’s nutritional status in the city of Yaoundé. _MATERIALS AND METHODS._ A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among women aged 21 and over in the community. _RESULTS._ The average age of the population was 39.9 (± 14.2) years, with a larger proportion of women of childbearing age. The results showed an alarming proportion of malnutrition, with a cumulative prevalence of overweight and obesity that stood at 46.5%. Nearly half of Cameroonian women in the city of Yaoundé had weights above the recommended normal weight. The average body mass index of the sample reflected this trend, with a value of 25.3 kg/m2, at the lower limit of overweight according to the WHO classification. A significant association between cultural area and nutritional status was found. _CONCLUSION._ A dietary guide and adequate communication strategies must be developed to promote optimal nutritional status in order to prevent situations of obesity and the burden of metabolic diseases within this group and on the Cameroonian health system.