Hail region of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has the highest adult obesity rates in the entire kingdom and limited information is available about the prevalence and patterns of growth markers. Therefore, it is important to monitor the growth trends to implement effective public health preventive strategies for the region. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of growth profile patterns (stunting, wasting, underweight, and overweight) and its associations with nutrient intake and dietary patterns among children and adolescents. A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 1420 children and adolescents (2–18 years), selected using a multistage stratified random-sampling technique representing both female and male schools from Hail region, KSA. Growth profile z-scores were generated using 2006 and 2007 WHO growth standards. The overall prevalence of 4.73% moderate and 1.54% severe underweight; 6.65% moderate and 2.59% severe stunting; 6.34% moderate and 2.55% severe wasting was present in the study population. Stunting decreased as age progressed with concurrent increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity. There was a significantly higher prevalence of overweight (18.55% versus 23.05%; P < 0.001) and obesity (8.7% versus 13.85%; P < 0.001) in adolescents than in school-age children with higher prevalence in females as compared to males. Both stunted and overweight/obesity groups had significantly lower mean intakes for critical micronutrients necessary for growth as compared to normal children.

This study evaluated the awareness of folic acid, timing of folic acid supplementation and source of knowledge of folic acid intake in Hail region-Saudi Arabia. A sample of 300 married women in the childbearing age (19 - 45 years) in Hail in the period between October/2011 and January/2012 participated in a survey study regarding awareness and use of folic acid before and during pregnancy. Participant women were asked to respond to different questions related to age, level of education, occupation, monthly income, gravidity, and other information concerning folic acid awareness, specific knowledge, supplementation practices, and source of knowledge about the preconceptional intake of folic acid. While 91.0% of the subjects were aware of folic acid, 81.0% knew that folic acid could prevent neural tube defects and 84.0% of the subjects took folic acid prior or during a certain stage of pregnancy. Nonetheless, only 10.0% of the subjects who proclaimed that they know the proper timing for folic acid supplementation recognized that folic acid should be taken prior and during the first trimester of pregnancy. University education was the strongest predictor of folic acid knowledge and university educated subjects had significantly (P < 0.01) higher folic acid supplementation compared to subjects with lower educational level. Women with lower gravidity and those with planned pregnancies reported significantly (P < 0.05, and P < 0.01, respectively) higher folic acid supplementation. University education was the strongest predictor of folic acid knowledge. Health care providers were the main source of knowledge of folic acid education. It is recommended that health care professionals and media need to emphasize more on educating women about the importance of taking folic acid supplementation in the proper time.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the effect of some socioeconomic factors and lifestyle habits on the prevalence of obesity among adolescent male students in the Hail region, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was filled by 1495 male adolescents distributed among 12 schools in the Hail region. Body weight and height were taken, and the Z-score of students was measured using Anthroplus software with a cutoff 1–2 and +2 standard deviations to determine overweight and obesity, respectively. The study revealed that 21.3% of students were overweight and 27% were obese, respectively. There was a negative association between family size of >8 and obesity (OR: 0.68, CI: 0.48–0.92, p = 0.05). Family income of <5000 SR was negatively associated with obesity (OR: 0.59, CI: 0.36–0.97, p = 0.03). Whether a subject’s mother worked (odds ratio (OR): 1.43, confidence interval CI: 1.03–1.99, p = 0.03) as well as the subject’s mother’s education—whether she can read and write, has a middle school degree, or has done postsecondary studies—were positively associated with obesity. Exercise, regardless of the duration, was negatively associated with obesity. In addition, sleeping <6 h/day had a positive association with obesity. Conclusion: a >8 family size and a low family income were negatively associated with obesity, while having an educated and working mother was positively associated with obesity.

Saudi Arabia (KSA) is one among the countries for top energy drink markets. Amid growing controversies globally surrounding the increasing usage of energy drinks by children, it is felt important to understand how these trends are reflected in KSA. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to explore the trends of energy drink consumption among, and differences between, middle and secondary school children, and the associated socioeconomic and behavioral factors. Randomly selected 1006 male children from secondary and middle schools from Hail region in KSA were included in the study, using a self-administered validated questionnaire. Results revealed that about 60% of school children were current energy drink consumers. Secondary school children were significantly (P<0.001) higher than middle schoolers in terms of both frequency and quantity. Concomitantly, unhealthy dietary and lifestyle behaviors were reported in significantly higher proportions (P<0.001) among secondary school children. Home was the first place for exposure for majority of children while unreliable resources were the major sources of knowledge about energy drink composition and health effects. Poor knowledge concerning energy drink composition was reported. Taste and being energized were the major driving forces for energy drink consumption. Higher disposable income on hand and poor lifestyle behaviors were all significantly associated with energy drink consumption. It can be concluded that high proportion of energy drink consumption was reported among school children in Hail, with higher proportions in secondary than middle schools. This matter raises the significance of mounting awareness of community concerning the ingredients and potential hazards of energy drinks.

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Background: Young adults are known across the world for the concern for weight and their perceptions of weight are known to be influenced by factors like media, culture, societal norms, parental and peer group expectations. Objective: This study explores the associations between body mass index (BMI), weight perceptions, and attempts to lose weight in female university students from university of Hail. Methodology: Data were collected from 100 university female students, using self-reported weight, height, self, parent and peer perception of weight, and weight loss strategies. BMI was calculated from weight and height and was categorized into International and Asian clinical criteria. Results: The total mean age ± SD was 21.66 ± 1.39 years (range 19-25) and mean± SD BMI was 22.96 ± 3.74. Nearly 16 % and 4 % of study population were overweight and obese respectively according to BMI International cut off whereas around 34 % and 11 % of study population were overweight and obese respectively according to BMI Asian cut off. Self, parents and peer perceptions are either skewed towards underweight or obese indicating the need for educating the knowledge of actual BMI status in these populations. Currently 22 % agree that they are on dieting while 31 % agree that they do physical exercise as weight management strategy. Cohen's Kappa suggests a very poor agreement of self-perception with actual weight status. Conclusions: Our study has shown that among female university students, there is significant misperception of weight, with one third of students misclassifying themselves. Weight perceptions were not good indicators for weight management practices.

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PurposeBreakfast skipping by children, with its varying global prevalence and associated factors, is well documented to adversely affect their health, cognitive ability, academic performance and anthropometric status. Libya, a country with a young population base, has limited information on breakfast skipping prevalence among its young citizens as well as its compounding factors unique to the country. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the breakfast skipping pattern among Benghazi primary school children.Design/methodology/approachThe paper's approach is to use a cross sectional study among 386 primary school children (196 males and 190 females) using an interviewer‐administered structured questionnaire. The enrolment exclusion criteria were a pre‐existing chronic disease or a food allergy or food intolerance or any acute illness.FindingsBreakfast skipping during weekdays (38.6 per cent, n=149), reduced drastically on weekends (1.0 per cent, n=4); 10.7 per cent subjects skipped breakfast daily (mean 2.5 + 1.3 days). Absence of hunger and lack of time to eat or prepare breakfast were cited as main barriers in its regular consumption. Bread and milk were the most commonly consumed breakfast foods. Certain groups of regular breakfast eating subjects consumed higher (p < 0.05) dietary thiamine and iron than their breakfast skipping counterparts and also better fulfilled their daily requirements for these nutrients. Parental breakfast eating habits influenced their children's breakfast eating pattern.Practical implicationsEfforts, including better time management, are required to inculcate a positive breakfast eating attitude among Benghazi primary school children. Their parents need to act as better role models by adopting healthy breakfast eating practices themselves.Originality/valueThe paper shows that breakfast skipping among Benghazi primary school children is a nutritional problem of grave concern, warranting a public health intervention.