scholarly journals Factors associated with overweight in children in Rasht, Iran: gender, maternal education, skipping breakfast and parental obesity

2009 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 196-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moshen Maddah ◽  
Bahareh Nikooyeh

AbstractObjectiveThe present study aimed to investigate the determinants of overweight and obesity among 6- to 11-year-old schoolchildren in Rasht, Iran.DesignCross-sectional survey. Data on age, weekly frequency of skipping breakfast, physical activity and hours of television viewing were collected. Information on birth weight, parental age, parental educational levels, parental weight and height, and mother’s employment status were gathered through self-administrated questionnaires given to the parents.SettingElementary schools in Rasht.SubjectsA total of 6635 children (3551 boys and 3084 girls) attending elementary schools in Rasht were studied.ResultsThe overall prevalence of overweight was 11·5 % and 15·0 % for boys and girls, respectively; while the overall prevalence of obesity was 5·0 % and 5·9 %, respectively. Children with more educated mothers had a higher prevalence of overweight than children with less educated mothers. Logistic regression analysis showed that children with overweight/obese parents, children with more educated mothers and children who often skipped breakfast were more prone to overweight and obesity.ConclusionsThese data suggest that overweight and obesity is a public health concern in this age group in Rasht. The observed sex and social differences in the prevalence of overweight and obesity call for policy makers’ attention.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Yunfei Zhang ◽  
Jiahong Sun ◽  
Min Zhao ◽  
Costan G. Magnussen ◽  
Xi Bo

Abstract Objective: To estimate the prevalence of thinness, overweight and obesity among Tibetan adolescents aged 12-17 years. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Shigatse city of Tibet municipality, with an average altitude of more than 4000 m. Subjects: Study participants included 2,642 adolescents aged 12-17 years selected from 6 schools using a convenient cluster sampling method. Results: The prevalence of thinness/overweight/obesity among Tibetan adolescents was 9.4%/5.4%/1.4% (China definition), 14.7%/4.4%/0.7% (IOTF definition), and 2.8%/5.7%/0.9% (WHO definition). The prevalence of thinness and overweight was significantly different between both sexes based on each of three BMI classification criteria (P <0.001). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of obesity between both sexes according to each of three BMI criteria. There was no clear trend in the prevalence of thinness across ages according to the China or IOTF definition (both P >0.05), whereas an upward trend was observed for thinness in boys according to the IOTF definition (P for trend <0.05). In contrast, the prevalence of thinness tended to decrease with increasing age in girls according to the IOTF definition, and in total sample according to the WHO definition (P for trend <0.05). Conclusions: Among Tibetan adolescents, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is relatively low, while the prevalence of thinness is high, especially in boys. These data suggest urgent attention is needed to control adolescent thinness in Tibet.


2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1407-1410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lumdila Ivanova ◽  
Plamen Dimitrov ◽  
Jocilyn Dellava ◽  
Daniel Hoffman

AbstractObjectiveThe prevalence of obesity is increasing in transitional countries, but extensive data on some countries, such as Bulgaria, are still lacking. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity, relative to gender and income, among adults in Sofia, Bulgaria.DesignCross-sectional survey to collect data on diet, health, BMI and income using a brief questionnaire on diet and income. Data were analysed using analysis of covariance to determine differences within and between income and gender groups.SettingSofia, Bulgaria.SubjectsAdults living in the city of Sofia, Bulgaria.ResultsFor adults 30–60 years of age, 35·1 % were overweight and 6·2 % were obese. The proportion of overweight and obesity was higher among men than women (44·8 % v. 32·4 % and 6·0 % v. 4·7 %, respectively). With respect to income, BMI decreased as income increased. For men, BMI was highest for the lowest and highest income groups, whereas for women lower income was associated with a higher BMI.ConclusionThe prevalence of overweight and obesity appears to be an emerging problem in some sectors of Bulgarian society, based on our data from the largest urban area of the country. These data provide new information on the divergence in health and disease risk in a country that is still economically challenged and may be facing the nutrition transition.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. e045877
Author(s):  
Naif Saleh Almutairi ◽  
Sharyn Burns ◽  
Linda Portsmouth

IntroductionChildhood obesity is a public health concern globally. In Arab countries, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased significantly over the last three decades. The level of childhood overweight and obesity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is high and continues to increase. This study will explore factors associated with overweight and obesity among adolescents and identify barriers and enablers to the implementation of comprehensive school-based obesity prevention interventions.Methods and analysisSocioecological model will inform this mixed-methods study. The study will include three phases: (1) a scoping review of the literature; (2) the development of a student survey instrument and (3) a mixed-method study comprising a cross-sectional survey targeting students aged 12–15 years with the collection of the students’ height and weight measurements; one-on-one interviews with physical education teachers and school principals; and the administration of school climate audits using the Health Promoting School framework. Reliability and validity of the survey instrument will be examined during survey development. Descriptive, inferential and thematic analysis will be employed using appropriate statistical software.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been granted from the Curtin University of Human Research Ethics Committee (HR2020-0337) and from the KSA Ministry of Education (4181827686). School principals will provide permission to conduct the study in individual schools. Individual consent/assent will be obtained from students and their parents, and teachers. Study findings will be disseminated via peer-review publications, reports and conferences.


Author(s):  
Violet K. Moselakgomo ◽  
Marlise Van Staden

Background: Prevalence of obesity in youths has drastically increased in both industrialised and non-industrialised countries, and this transition resulted in an increased prevalence of chronic diseases.Aim: The study aimed to comparatively examine prevalence of overweight and obesity status based on tri-ponderal mass index and body mass index in estimating body fat levels in South African children.Setting: The study was conducted in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa.Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1361 (boys: n = 678; girls: n = 683) children aged 9–13 years was undertaken. The children’s age and sex-related measurements of body weight, waist-to-height ratio, waist-to-hip ratio, triceps skinfold, subscapular skinfolds and sum of skinfold were taken using the International Society for Advancement of Kinanthropometry protocol. TMI and BMI calculations classified children according to weight and age categories. Descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlations and multiple linear regression analyses were set at ≤ 0.05.Results: Obesity classifications on TMI and BMI among children were as follows: Boys: 7.3%, 2.6%; 2.2%, 0.7%; Girls: 4.0%, 1.0%; 1.8%, 0.6%. Body weight, WHtR, WHpR, TSKF, SSKF and ΣSKF significantly correlated with TMI (r = 0.40, p 0.001; r = 0.73, p 0.001; r = −0.09, p 0.001; r = 0.50, p 0.001; r = 0.51, p 0.001 and r = 0.52, p 0.001) and BMI (r = 0.81, p 0.001; r = 0.59, p 0.001; r = −0.22, p 0.001; r = 0.63, p 0.001; r = 0.67, p 0.001 and r = 0.66, p 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that body weight, WHtR, WHpR, TSKF, SSKF and ΣSKF accounted for 65% and 85% of variance in children’s TMI (R2 = 0.647, F[6 1354] = 413.977, p 0.001) and BMI (R2 = 0.851, F[6 1354] = 1288.218, p 0.001).Conclusion: TMI revealed strikingly higher incidence of overweight and obesity in South African boys and girls than BMI. Future studies are needed to clarify sensitivity of TMI over BMI in quantifying obesity prevalence in children and adolescents.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (58) ◽  
pp. 7820-7839
Author(s):  
RA Pobee ◽  
◽  
WB Owusu ◽  
WA Plahar ◽  
◽  
...  

Obesity has increasingly become a public health problem in both developed and developing countries. In Ghana, the prevalence of obesity has been found to be high particularly among women. The rising trend of obesity in Ghana is worrying as studies have shown an increased risk of morbidity, disability and mortality associated with obesity. This study examined the prevalence of obesity among Ghanaian teachers of child-bearing age. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 400 female teachers between the ages of 18 and 49 years from two sub-metropolitan areas in Accra District, Ghana. A questionnaire was used to gather information on the socioeconomic status, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), alcohol intake, physical activity and food intake. Appropriate statistical methods were used to determine the association between variables. The mean age, BMI and WHR were 35.9 ± 8.2 years, 27.2±5.3 kgm-2 and 0.79±0.07 respectively. About 34% of the women were overweight while 27% were found to be obese with 17.8% centrally-obese. The WHR ratio, however, classified majority (57%) of the women as low risk. There was a strong positive correlation between BMI and WHR with age. This means that as women aged, both BMI and WHR increased. The prevalence of obesity for a woman above 35years was about four times higher than the prevalence among the younger age group (<25years) and two times higher than that of the middle age group (26-35years). This study found that at any age group underweight, overweight and obesity co-existed. Socioeconomic variables such as marital status, income and parity showed a positive association with BMI and waist circumference. Consumption of fruits and vegetables was observed to be low among respondents. This study recommends that measures such as healthy eating guidelines supported by vigorous physical activities should be put in place in schools to help teachers maintain healthy body weights (BMI 19-25) in order to prevent the risk of obesity and its related life threatening effects.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Lemamsha ◽  
G. Randhawa ◽  
C. Papadopoulos

Libya is following the trend observed in developing countries of steadily becoming more obese, such that obesity in Libya has reached epidemic proportions in the twenty-first century. The prevalence of obesity in Libya has more than doubled in the last three decades, with the numbers of overweight and obese adults being continuing to grow. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate and describe the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Libyan men and women. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to examine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among the Libyan population. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select 401 Libyan adults randomly from the Benghazi electoral register. Qualified nurses were allocated to take anthropometric measurements (including visceral fat and Body Mass Index (BMI)) from participants using the Segmental Body Composition Analyser and a portable Stadiometer. The response rate achieved in this cross-sectional study was 78%. Four hundred and one Libyan adult, aged 20-65 years, participated; 253 were female (63%). The prevalence of obesity, overweight, and normal weight among Libyan adults was 42.4%, 32.9%, and 24.7%, respectively. The results also revealed that approximately 75.3% of Libyan adults were overweight and obese, and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in women was significantly higher than that in men (the prevalence of overweight was 33.2% in women compared to 32.4% in men, while the prevalence of obesity was 47.4% in women compared to 33.8% in men, respectively). The findings of this study confirmed that obesity and overweight are the fastest growing issues and have become one of the most serious public health challenges confronting the Libyan authorities. As the obesity epidemic in Libya continues to escalate, with a complete absence of prevention interventions to reduce obesity, more research is desperately needed to follow the trend of gender difference in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Libyans adults across the Libyan state to improve the effective interventions for preventing obesity.


Author(s):  
João M. Pedro ◽  
Miguel Brito ◽  
Henrique Barros

This cross-sectional survey with 2357 subjects aged 15 to 64 years from a ruralurban community in Bengo Province, Angola, aimed to evaluate the gender differences in the prevalence of body mass index categories and how socio-demographic characteristics influence it. Women presented a significantly higher prevalence of obesity (10.5% versus 2.8%) but the underweight frequency was similar to men (10.2% versus 12.4%). Overweight and obesity increased with age, with underweight being more prevalent in the age group 15 to 24 years. Obesity was more prevalent among individuals living with a companion (in a marital relation), decreased with education (in women), but was higher in rural areas, and for those with a higher family monthly income, in both genders. The prevalence of obesity and underweight were similar in women, reflecting a nutrition transition state. Like in other African communities, women present a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity them men, but the values of underweight are similar between genders. This stresses the need of designed health interventions for women, to face the double burden and accumulation of risk factors in women.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-25
Author(s):  
Sushil Kharel ◽  
Binod Raut

Introduction: Adverse dietary patterns and sedentary lifestyle predispose to overweight-related non-communicable diseases both in children and in adults. In Nepal, childhood overweight is one rapidly growing public health concern in the urban areas. Many studies have focused on the relationship between overweight and its associated risk factors. We aimed to find the prevalence of overweight including obesity and its determinants in pre-school children aged 2 to 4 years in Duwakot community, Bhaktapur.. Materials and methods: In a community-based cross-sectional survey, total 122 pre-school children both males and females of age between 2-4 years were studied. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on socioeconomic characteristics and life style factors of children. WHO Anthro Software Version 3.2.2 was used for analyzing anthropometric parameters of the children. Results: The prevalence of overweight in pre-school children was 13.9%. The prevalence of overweight including obesity was significantly higher among male children (17.7%) than female children (10%). The study revealed that overweight was significantly associated with sedentary lifestyles of children and higher socio-economic status of the family. Conclusions: The magnitude of overweight is big and increasing rapidly in Nepal due to sedentary lifestyles and improper dietary habits among pre-school children, especially in the cities. Proper interventions should be implemented to minimize the overweight among pre-school children in order to avoid further health ailments in future.


2005 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendelin M Slusser ◽  
William G Cumberland ◽  
Ben L Browdy ◽  
Donna M Winham ◽  
Charlotte G Neumann

AbstractObjectiveThis study was undertaken to establish the prevalence and severity of nutritional problems among low-income children of elementary school age in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) in order to collect baseline data to inform policy-makers.Design and methodsA cross-sectional survey of children in 14 elementary schools was conducted from January to June, 1998. Nine hundred and nineteen children were measured and interviewed. The planning, design and data analysis were carried out in collaboration with key LAUSD policy-makers.ResultsMore than 35% of the sample was classified as being at risk for overweight or overweight according to body mass index.ConclusionThere is a high prevalence of children who are at risk for overweight or who are overweight in Los Angeles. This finding has triggered the development of multiple school-based intervention programmes.


2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 450-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Maddah

AbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the frequency of overweight and obesity among Iranian adolescent girls aged 14–17 years and its possible association with maternal education in Rasht city in 2005.DesignA cross-sectional survey on 1054 schoolgirls.SettingHigh schools in Rasht city, Iran.MethodsA multistage sampling method was used and 1054 randomly selected schoolgirls were studied. Data on age and mother's years of schooling were collected by questionnaire and body weight and height were measured. Overweight and obesity were defined using age- and sex-specific body mass index (BMI) cut-off points proposed by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), and compared with 85th and 95th BMI percentile curves of the IOTF reference population, respectively. Data analyses included two groups based on mother's years of schooling: less educated ( < 12 years) and more educated ( ≥ 12 years).ResultsThe overall prevalence of overweight and obesity in this population was 21.9 and 5.3%, respectively. Results of logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of overweight was higher for lower age group (odds ratio = 2.0, 95% confidence interval 0.18–3.09). Overweight was more common in girls with less educated mothers than in girls with more educated mothers (26.0 vs. 19.8%, P = 0.03).ConclusionThese data indicate that overweight is highly prevalent among adolescent girls, especially in lower social groups in Rasht, and the rate is exceeding those reported in other parts of the country. Preventive strategies need to be adopted to combat the epidemic of overweight and obesity in this population.


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