This study was conducted on 3212 Saudi families to investigate the prevalence of consanguineous marriages. The families were interviewed and the information on the relationship between the husband and wife was obtained. The overall rate ofconsanguinity shows that 57-7% ofthe families screened were consanguineous. The most frequent were first cousin marriages (28-4%) followed by distant relative marriages (15-2%) and second cousin marriages (14-6%).The families were grouped according to the province of their origin and the consanguinity rates were calculated accordingly. There were slight differences in the consanguinity rates in the five provinces, which ranged from 52-1% to 67-7%. In each province first cousin marriages were the most frequently encountered pattern, ranging from 17-90/o to 40-90/o. The inbreeding coefficient (F) was calculated for each province and ranged from 0-020 to 0O030.Within each province, there were several significant differences among the populations in the different areas. The highest rate ofconsangiinity was 80O6% in Samtah and the lowest rate was around 34% in Abha in the South Western province.These results place Saudi Arabia among the countries of the world with a high rate of consanguinity. The possible consequences of increased consanguinity are presented and discussed.

The sickle cell (HbS) gene occurs at a variable frequency in the Middle Eastern Arab countries, with characteristic distribution patterns and representing an overall picture of blood genetic disorders in the region. The origin of the gene has been debated, but studies using β-globin gene haplotypes have ascertained that there were multiple origins for HbS. In some regions the HbS gene is common and exhibits polymorphism, while the reverse is true in others. A common causative factor for the high prevalence and maintenance of HbS and thalassaemia genes is malaria endemicity. The HbS gene also co-exists with other haemoglobin variants and thalassaemia genes and the resulting clinical state is referred to as sickle cell disease (SCD). In the Middle Eastern Arab countries, the clinical picture of SCD expresses two distinct forms, the benign and the severe forms, which are related to two distinct β-globin gene haplotypes. These are referred to as the Saudi-Indian and the Benin haplotypes, respectively. In a majority of the Middle Eastern Arab countries the HbS is linked to the Saudi-Indian haplotype, while in others it is linked to the Benin haplotype. This review outlines the frequency, distribution, clinical feature, management and prevention as well as gene interactions of the HbS genes with other haemoglobin disorders in the Middle Eastern Arab countries.

Objectives:The aim of this study was to review the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Saudi children with ages ranging up to 18 years. Subjects and Methods: The study was a cross-sectional national epidemiological household survey, and the study group included 12071 children (boys 6281; girls 6420), with ages ranging from 1-18 years. Their height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The study group was classified as obese or overweight, using age-and sex-specific cut-off points for BMI for determining overweight and obesity in children. Results: The overall prevalence of overweight was 10.7% and 12.7% in the boys and girls, respectively, and obesity was 6.0% and 6.74% in the two groups, respectively. The children were grouped according to the province to which they belonged, and prevalence of obesity and overweight were calculated for each province. The highest frequency was in the Eastern Province, while the lowest was in the Southern Province. The children were further grouped into 1-6, 6-12 and 12-18-year-olds and prevalence of obesity and overweight was calculated. In addition, at yearly intervals, the prevalence of obesity and overweight was calculated. Among the boys and girls, the maximum prevalence of obesity was in the 2-3 year-olds. A decrease in prevalence was found in both males and females up to the age group of 8-13 years, and then the prevalence increased again up to the 18 years age. Conclusion: This epidemiological household survey shows the overweight and obesity trends in Saudi children based on the international sex-specific cut-off points for BMI. It also shows a variable prevalence in different age groups until after 13 years, when the prevalence rate increases. Obesity is an important nutritional disorder in most of the developed countries, and is assuming an issue of increasing significance in the developing ones.1 Among children worldwide, the prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing, 2-24 and is considered as an important underlying factor for development of hyperlipidemias, hypertension, hyper-insulinemia and early atherosclerosis. 25 " 34 These are all high-risk factors for the development of chronic heart diseases. Generally, obese children grow to be obese adults, and hence it is agreed that childhood obesity should be prevented. 35 This raises the question as to how one defines childhood obesity. In adults, the body mass index (BMI) is widely used as a measure of normal weight (BMI <25 kg/m 2 ), overweight (BMI between 25-<30 kg/m 2 ), and obesity (BMI >30 kg/m 2 ). 36-37 These cut-off values are measure obesity. 39 In children, the BMI changes substantially with age, and it is shown that at birth the median BMI is around 13 kg/m 2 , at age of one year it is 17 kg/m2 and decreases to 15.5 kg/m 2 at age 6, and then increased to 21 kg/m 2 at age 20. Hence, the cut-off point needs to be related to age to define childhood obesity. 39 Many studies have used reference centiles and in most studies, the 85th and 95th centiles of BMI for age and sex hav...

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Saudi children from different provinces of the country and in different age groups. A total of 12,701 children (6,281 boys and 6,420 girls) with ages ranging from 1 to 18 years were enrolled during a household screening programme in different provinces of Saudi Arabia and height and weight were recorded. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated and applying age and sex specific cut-off points for BMI the children were grouped into overweight and obese. The overall prevalence of overweight was 10.68 and 12.7 per cent and that of obesity was 5.98 and 6.74 per cent in the boys and girls, respectively. In the different provinces the prevalence of overweight ranged from 8.8 to 27.4 per cent and from 9.3 to 27.6 per cent and obesity ranged from 4.7 to 10.4 per cent and from 4.3 to 13.8 per cent in the boys and girls, respectively. Prevalence of overweight and obesity was also calculated after grouping the children into 17 groups according to age. It is concluded that overweight and obesity occur in all provinces of Saudi Arabia although at a variable prevalence. In general, girls have a higher prevalence of both overweight and obesity compared with boys. Eastern province children have the highest prevalence and the Southern province children have the lowest prevalence of overweight and obesity. When grouped according to age, overweight and obesity tend to increase with age. Suggestions are made to prevent overweight and obesity development in Saudi children.