Overweight and Obesity Related Factors among Lebanese Adolescents: An Explanation for Gender and Socioeconomic Differences

Youssef, Hala; Zind, Marguerite; Garnier, Sophie; Fazah, Abdallah; Jacob, Christophe; Moussa, Elie; Gratas-Delamarche, Arlette; Groussard, Carole

doi:10.4172/2161-1165.1000300

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…In Lebanon, recent studies have suggested that a shift in adolescents' dietary intake, characterized by adherence to a westernized pattern of sedentary lifestyle, is associated with overweight and obesity and its comorbidities [25][26][27][28][29][30], which can persist throughout one's life and present health challenges [6][7][8][9][10][11]. With obesity rates far from global targets for 2025 (Global Nutrition report, 2025), adolescence provides an unequalled opportunity to establish healthy eating behaviors through health promoters, which could prevent obesity and related health problems later in life [31,32].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrition Literacy among Adolescents and Its Association with Eating Habits and BMI in Tripoli, Lebanon

Taleb

Itani

2021

Diseases

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(1) Background: Adolescence is a period of increased autonomy and independent decision making; it determines health behaviors that can persist into the future. Individual factors like food choices and unhealthy lifestyle have an essential role in the development and prevention of obesity among adolescents and are associated with the nutrition literacy of parents and other adults. While the association of parents’ nutrition literacy with adolescent BMI has been addressed, there is still a scarcity of studies that examine the effect of adolescents’ nutrition literacy on their eating habits and body mass index (BMI) status. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted that included 189 adolescents (68 with overweight and obesity and 121 with normal weight) aged between 14–19 years from four private schools in Tripoli, Lebanon. A self-administered questionnaire that included the Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument (NLAI) and the Adolescent Food Habits Checklist (AFHC) was used. Anthropometrics were measured using standardized procedures. The association between nutrition literacy, food habits and BMI was assessed using a chi squared test for independence and Poisson regression analysis where suitable. (3) Results: Results indicated no association between all five components of nutrition literacy and body mass index categories. Furthermore, there was no association between the Adolescent Food Habits Checklist and overweight or obese BMI status (RR = 0.947, 95%CI: 0.629–1.426) (p = 0.796). No association was observed between nutrition literacy and food habits, except for an inverse association with macronutrients literacy. (4) Conclusions: In conclusion, the study indicated that there was no association between the components of nutrition literacy with body mass index or with food habits, except for macronutrient literacy.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrition Literacy among Adolescents and Its Association with Eating Habits and BMI in Tripoli, Lebanon

Taleb

Itani

2021

Diseases

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“…A total of 39 mothers and 65.5 percent of mothers stopped breastfeeding by the time their child rached the age of six months and before one year, while 19.9% introduced solid foods by the age of four months. A study conducted among Lebanese adolescents comprising both low and middle socioeconomic groups showed these percentages to be higher, e.g., 41%, 70% and 41.6%, respectively [ 17 ]. The most common main reason for stopping breastfeeding in our sample was insufficiency of breastmilk (28.7%), closely followed by baby weaning himself/herself (24.8%).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Infant-Feeding Patterns and the Effects of Early Introduction to Formula and Solid Foods on Childhood Overweight or Obesity among 10-Years-Olds in a Low Socioeconomic Area of Lebanon: An Exploratory Analysis

et al. 2022

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In Lebanon, there has been an alarming increase in childhood overweight and obesity. In addition, most mothers do not meet the WHO recommendation that infants should be introduced to formula or solids only during the second half of their first year. Because the study population, Burj Hammoud, which is a low socioeconomic district, is small, we performed an exploratory analysis of infant feeding patterns and the effects of introducing formula and solids within six months, respectively, on childhood overweight/obesity among 10-year-old children. A total of 101 mothers were recruited from seven intercommunity dispensaries located across the district. Descriptive, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. There were 86.1% infants initiating breastfeeding, 18% exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months of age, 67.1% and 52.6% starting formula and solids by 6 months, respectively, and 53.5% becoming overweight/obese by the age of 10 years. Working mothers were significantly less likely to introduce formula but not solids within the first six months of infancy. Based on two case-control studies, after controlling for maternal employment, there were 2.278- and 1.511-fold significantly higher odds of introducing solids and formula before the age of 6 months compared with after the age of 6 months, respectively, for the overweight/obese individuals among 10-year-olds. Future research should focus on conducting a larger study by incorporating other low socioeconomic regions to confirm these relationships.

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“…It is important to note that in developing countries, in contrast with developed ones, there is a general trend of increasing the prevalence of obesity with increasing SES [26]. In Lebanon, for example, people belonging to high socio-economic classes have more access to unhealthy food intake and are more sedentary though they practice more leisure activities [27]. In addition, children from high SES have access to personal television, tablets, or computers [27].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Lebanon, for example, people belonging to high socio-economic classes have more access to unhealthy food intake and are more sedentary though they practice more leisure activities [27]. In addition, children from high SES have access to personal television, tablets, or computers [27]. This may explain the absence of a decrease in the odds of developing overweight or obesity among students of higher SES in private schools.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of a Three-Year Obesity Prevention Study on Healthy Behaviors and BMI among Lebanese Schoolchildren: Findings from Ajyal Salima Program

et al. 2020

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Most school-based obesity prevention programs in low- to middle-income countries are of short duration, and few undertake follow-up analyses after the termination of the project. The aims of the current study are to investigate (1) the long-term effects of a school-based intervention program when implemented over two years on body mass index (BMI), healthy dietary behaviors, and physical activity (PA); and (2) whether the effects are sustained after one-year washout. The study is a cluster-randomized trial; 36 public and private schools were randomized into either intervention or control groups. Students (8–12 years) completed pre-and post-assessment anthropometric measurements and questionnaires about their eating and physical activity habits. Students in the intervention groups received the program components for two consecutive years. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the effect of the intervention on BMI and healthy behaviors. Students in the intervention groups were less likely to be overweight at washout, only in public schools. The number of children reporting change in dietary behaviors significantly increased in intervention groups, with a sustained effect only in public schools. Policies aiming at securing a positive nutrition environment in schools, and adoption of nutrition programs, are needed for achieving sustained behavior and prompting BMI changes in children.

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Overweight and Obesity Related Factors among Lebanese Adolescents: An Explanation for Gender and Socioeconomic Differences

Cited by 4 publications

References 38 publications

Nutrition Literacy among Adolescents and Its Association with Eating Habits and BMI in Tripoli, Lebanon

Nutrition Literacy among Adolescents and Its Association with Eating Habits and BMI in Tripoli, Lebanon

Infant-Feeding Patterns and the Effects of Early Introduction to Formula and Solid Foods on Childhood Overweight or Obesity among 10-Years-Olds in a Low Socioeconomic Area of Lebanon: An Exploratory Analysis

Impact of a Three-Year Obesity Prevention Study on Healthy Behaviors and BMI among Lebanese Schoolchildren: Findings from Ajyal Salima Program

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