Overweight and obesity and their association with dietary habits, and sociodemographic characteristics among male primary school children in Al-Hassa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives:To assess the magnitude of obesity and overweight among male primary school children, and to find the possible association between obesity/overweight and dietary habits and sociodemographic differentials among them.Study design and Methods:A cross-sectional descriptive study, including 1139 Saudi male children enrolled in the 5th and 6th grades in public primary schools in Al Hassa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), was conducted. The test included a multistage random sampling technique, based on interview using Youth and Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire, gathering data regarding dietary intake, dietary habits, followed by anthropometric measurements with the calculation of body mass index (BMI), the interpretation of which was based on Cole's tables for the standard definition of overweight and obesity. Sociodemographic data were collected through a parental questionnaire from. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS 12 software (SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL, USA); both univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.Results:The age of the school children ranged from 10–14 years. The prevalence of overweight among the subjects was 14.2%, while that of obesity was 9.7%; the prevalence was more in the urban, older age students. The mothers of obese and overweight children were less educated and more working. Missing and or infrequent intake of breakfast at home, frequent consumption of fast foods, low servings per day of fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy products, with frequent consumption of sweets/candy and carbonated drinks were all predictors of obesity and overweight among the schoolchildren studied.Conclusion:The prevalence of childhood obesity is escalating and approaching figures that have been reported till now from the developed countries. Less healthy dietary habits and poor selection of food may be responsible for this high prevalence.

Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity among Children and Adolescents in Urban India

“…Springing up of fast-food outlets and easy availability of junk food is a matter of concern. Today's children prefer these foods to fruits and vegetables [18][19][20][21]. In our study, we found that the children from private schools consumed more of fast food items and carbonated drinks as all these food items were easily available in their school canteen.…”

Drastic increases in overweight and obesity from 1981 to 2010 and related risk factors: results from the Barbados Children’s Health and Nutrition Study

“…Child overweight and obesity influences in Barbados Scientific literature generally supports an inverse relationship between education and obesity among adult populations, adolescents and children (24)(25)(26)(27) . When related sociodemographic variables were held constant, the relationship between high parental education and increased prevalence of child OWOB remained consistent, albeit a borderline trend.…”

Review of the nutrition situation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

“…The growing epidemic of childhood obesity is a major public health concern, given that paediatric obesity has been shown to track into adulthood and predict a broad range of metabolic and psychological adverse health effects (152,153). Studies of the association of childhood obesity with socioeconomic, dietary and lifestyle factors have highlighted the following risk factors: higher socioeconomic status (154,155); urban residence (156); parental obesity (154,157), maternal BMI (155,158); television viewing (154); high sugar intake (155); high fat intake (155,156); high frequency of consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and of fast foods (156,159); low consumption of vegetables, fruit and dairy products (156); and high frequency of eating out (156,160). Given the established link between paediatric obesity, the consumption of high-energy, high-sugar, high-fat foods and the marketing of such foods to children, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Region has recently released a regional nutrient profiling model designed for use by governments for the purposes of restricting food marketing to children (161).…”