Circumcenter of centroid of fuzzy number for identifying risk factors of obesity: a qualitative evaluation

Abstract

Obesity and its associated health problems have been considered as a burden to health care providers where treatment may incur tremendous loss of public fund. Recent studies reveal that authentic factors contributed to obesity are very much inconclusive. Magnitude of risks for each factor remains unknown. This paper aims to propose risk values for the selected risk factors contributed to the development of obesity using an approach of ranking fuzzy number. The method of ranking fuzzy numbers based on circumcenter of centroid is proposed. The proposed model, which takes into account spread, area, and distance of trapezoidal fuzzy numbers was implemented to the case of obesity. Three experts were invited to provide qualitative linguistic evaluation over the importance of risk factors toward development of obesity. The risk values obtained from the proposed method unveiled that the factor of family history is the highest risk factor followed by sedentary life style. The results also indicate that gender is lowest risk factor. An implication for the general public is that the importance of knowing the status of family history and also the awareness in practising healthy life style.