The study was aimed at determining the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Zaria, Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria, and to establish the relationship between overweight and obesity with age, sex and blood pressure. 3,250 healthy adults Nigerian civil servants were used in the study. The population composed of 1,750 Male and 1,500 Female with age range from 25 to 65 years, were examined for overweight and obesity using body mass index (BMI) and Waist – hip-ratio. BMI was calculated as weight (kg) divided by height (m2). Blood pressure was measured using sphygmomanometer. Pregnant women and all ill-health persons were excluded from the study. The prevalence rate of overweight and obesity in Zaria was 29.6% (964). The prevalence rate of overweight and obesity was higher in female 16.1% (523), than in male 13.5% (441). The mean BMI was found to increase with age. The mean waist-to hip ratio was 1.08 for men and 0.967 for women. The mean Diastolic Blood pressure (SBP) was 95.8 mmHg and mean Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) was 105.6 mmHg in obesed male and 95.3 mmHg and 106.0 mmHg respectively in obesed male. There was no significant difference in mean Blood pressure of obesed male and female (P > 0.05). Blood pressure increased with increased BMI. Chronic diseases resulting from overweight and obesity are the major cause of death and disability worldwide. In Nigeria, chronic diseases were projected to account for 24% of all death in 2005 (WHO, 2005). Therefore regular physical exercise, weight loss change of sedentary life-style and proper dieting are hereby advocated. There is also need to educate individual about the consequences of obesity.

KEYWORD; Overweight, Obesity, BMI, Blood pressure.