Factors Affecting the Overweight and Obesity of Students Aged 11 to 17 in Low and Middle-Income Countries Based on GSHS Questionnaire Data
Abstract Background:Obesity and overweight in early life arebeingone of the challenges of public health in both developed and developing societies.Methods:This cross-sectional study was designed on the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) data from the WHO, in collaboration with UNAIDS, UNESCO, and UNICEF. The countries of low- and middle-income in the six WHO regions were included.BMIis classified into three classes: overweight, normal-weight, and underweight based on length/height, weight, and age.Results: Of the 187893 students aged 11 to 17 years, 43220 (23.0%) were overweight. The prevalence of obesitywas higher in boys (23.67% and 22.39% in boys and girls respectively).The probability of obesity decreases by the age of the students. There was a positive relationship between following personal hygieneprinciples and overweight so that the use of soap and washing hands after going to the toilet increased the odds of overweight by 17% and 11%, respectively.Each unit increased the prevalence of overweight in adulthood (1.07 - 1.04 OR = 1.06), and each unit increase in Gini Index (OR = 1.03,1.00-1.05) on average increased the odds of overweight in students aged 11 to 17 years, but for the prevalence of overweight in children less than 5 years old, GDP and SDGs did not have any significant effect onoverweight in children aged 11 to 17 years.Conclusion:The country-level Gini index and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in adults had a significant role in overweight and obesityin students. Due to the different situation of the countries, it is required to plan specific programs to tackle overweight in children.