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Ferhi M, Dalhoumi A, Ghammam R, Mannai J. Body Image Misperceptions Among Tunisian Adolescents. Cureus 2023; 15:e48981. [PMID: 38111396 PMCID: PMC10726147 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.48981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Obesity is a globally recognized health concern with profound consequences for individual health, especially among adolescents. Tunisia, like many countries, is experiencing alarming rates of adolescent obesity. Understanding adolescents' perceptions of their weight status and the factors influencing these perceptions is pivotal for developing targeted interventions and policies to counteract the rising obesity trends. Objective To determine the accuracy of weight status perceptions among Tunisian adolescents compared to objective metrics and to identify sociodemographic characteristics associated with the inaccurate estimation of weight status. Methods A cross-sectional, school-based study was conducted among adolescents attending secondary schools in Sousse, Tunisia, during the 2017-2018 academic year. A total of 1399 students participated, with anthropometric measurements taken, and a pre-tested Arabic questionnaire administered to gather sociodemographic data and perceived weight status, assessed using the Figure Rating Scale (FRS). The accuracy of perceived weight status was determined by comparing the measured weight status with participants' self-reported perceptions. Results The study achieved an 86.68% response rate, with over half of the participants being female (60.5%), and the average age being 17 years. The majority of adolescents (41%) perceived themselves as having normal body weight, while 34.5% perceived themselves as underweight, 16.6% as overweight, and 7.9% as obese. However, based on BMI categories, 72.6% had a normal measured weight, 20.4% were overweight, and 6.9% were obese. A substantial proportion of participants (45.6%) underestimated their weight status, with a significant proportion being objectively overweight or obese (26%). Furthermore, we found a significant association between the perception of weight accuracy and both gender (p = 0.010) and the mother's educational level (p = 0.035). Conclusions The findings revealed a disparity between perceived and actual weight status among Tunisian adolescents, with a significant underestimation of weight status, particularly among those who are overweight or obese. The results highlighted the crucial need for interventions that address weight perception inaccuracies and promote healthy weight awareness and management among adolescents in Tunisia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Ferhi
- Psychiatry, Ibn El Jazzar University Hospital, Kairouan, TUN
| | - Amira Dalhoumi
- Psychiatry, Ibn El Jazzar University Hospital, Kairouan, TUN
| | - Rim Ghammam
- Epidemiology and Public Health, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse, TUN
| | - Jihenne Mannai
- Psychiatry, Ibn El Jazzar University Hospital, Kairouan, TUN
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Prevalence of Breakfast Skippers among Tunisian Preschool and School Children and Association with Weight Status: A Cross-Sectional Study. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:children10020392. [PMID: 36832521 PMCID: PMC9954857 DOI: 10.3390/children10020392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. This study aimed to assess breakfast frequency and quality in Tunisian children and to determine the relationship between breakfast skipping and the weight status of the children. A total of 1200 preschool and school children aged 3 to 9 years were randomly selected under a cross-sectional design. Breakfast habits and socio-economic characteristics were collected using a questionnaire. Participants who consumed breakfast less than five times the previous week were categorized as breakfast skippers. The other breakfast consumers were considered as non-skippers. The overall prevalence of breakfast skipping in Tunisian children was 8.3% and 83% of them consumed breakfast all the weekdays. At least two out of three children had a poor breakfast quality. Only 1% of children consumed breakfast in accordance with the composition guidelines. No relationships between breakfast skipping and weight status were detected in this study after adjustment for age, sex and all socio-economic factors (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.72-1.89, p = 0.541). Further school-based interventions should be implemented to improve breakfast quality and to promote a healthy weight in Tunisian children.
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Bouamra M, Zouhal H, Ratel S, Makhlouf I, Bezrati I, Chtara M, Behm DG, Granacher U, Chaouachi A. Concurrent Training Promotes Greater Gains on Body Composition and Components of Physical Fitness Than Single-Mode Training (Endurance or Resistance) in Youth With Obesity. Front Physiol 2022; 13:869063. [PMID: 35669575 PMCID: PMC9164296 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.869063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of obesity in the pediatric population has become a major public health issue. Indeed, the dramatic increase of this epidemic causes multiple and harmful consequences, Physical activity, particularly physical exercise, remains to be the cornerstone of interventions against childhood obesity. Given the conflicting findings with reference to the relevant literature addressing the effects of exercise on adiposity and physical fitness outcomes in obese children and adolescents, the effect of duration-matched concurrent training (CT) [50% resistance (RT) and 50% high-intensity-interval-training (HIIT)] on body composition and physical fitness in obese youth remains to be elucidated. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 9-weeks of CT compared to RT or HIIT alone, on body composition and selected physical fitness components in healthy sedentary obese youth. Out of 73 participants, only 37; [14 males and 23 females; age 13.4 ± 0.9 years; body-mass-index (BMI): 31.2 ± 4.8 kg·m-2] were eligible and randomized into three groups: HIIT (n = 12): 3-4 sets×12 runs at 80-110% peak velocity, with 10-s passive recovery between bouts; RT (n = 12): 6 exercises; 3-4 sets × 10 repetition maximum (RM) and CT (n = 13): 50% serial completion of RT and HIIT. CT promoted significant greater gains compared to HIIT and RT on body composition (p < 0.01, d = large), 6-min-walking test distance (6 MWT-distance) and on 6 MWT-VO2max (p < 0.03, d = large). In addition, CT showed substantially greater improvements than HIIT in the medicine ball throw test (20.2 vs. 13.6%, p < 0.04, d = large). On the other hand, RT exhibited significantly greater gains in relative hand grip strength (p < 0.03, d = large) and CMJ (p < 0.01, d = large) than HIIT and CT. CT promoted greater benefits for fat, body mass loss and cardiorespiratory fitness than HIIT or RT modalities. This study provides important information for practitioners and therapists on the application of effective exercise regimes with obese youth to induce significant and beneficial body composition changes. The applied CT program and the respective programming parameters in terms of exercise intensity and volume can be used by practitioners as an effective exercise treatment to fight the pandemic overweight and obesity in youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Bouamra
- Tunisian Research Laboratory “Sports Performance Optimization”, National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis, Tunisia
- High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, Ksar-Saïd, Manouba University, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Hassane Zouhal
- M2S (Laboratoire Mouvement, Sport, Santé) EA 1274, University of Rennes, Rennes, France
- Institut International des Sciences du Sport (2I2S), Irodouer, France
| | - Sébastien Ratel
- AME2P, EA 3533, Clermont-Auvergne University, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Issam Makhlouf
- Tunisian Research Laboratory “Sports Performance Optimization”, National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis, Tunisia
- High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, Ksar-Saïd, Manouba University, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Ikram Bezrati
- Tunisian Research Laboratory “Sports Performance Optimization”, National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Mokhtar Chtara
- Tunisian Research Laboratory “Sports Performance Optimization”, National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis, Tunisia
| | - David G. Behm
- School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
| | - Urs Granacher
- Division of Training and Movement Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Anis Chaouachi
- Tunisian Research Laboratory “Sports Performance Optimization”, National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis, Tunisia
- High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia
- Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand
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Prevalence of Underweight and Overweight and Its Association with Physical Fitness in Egyptian Schoolchildren. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 17:ijerph17010075. [PMID: 31861878 PMCID: PMC6981920 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17010075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Underweight and overweight are serious health concerns for many children and could be associated with low physical-fitness levels. This study aimed (i) to evaluate the prevalence of underweight and overweight and (ii) to examine its association with the physical fitness levels in primary male and female schoolchildren. Including 13 government primary-schools, a cross-sectional survey was conducted between 2014 and 2017. Anthropometric characteristics together with the physical-fitness level were measured in 931 schoolchildren aged between 6- and 11-years old. The prevalence of under- and overweight children were 8.49% and 24.06%, respectively. These proportions were not significantly different between males and females and were affected by age (p < 0.001), with a higher prevalence of overweight and a lower prevalence of underweight at 9–11 years, compared to 6–8 years old. Concerning the physical fitness levels, statistical analysis showed a better performance among males compared to females, among participants aged 9–11 years, compared to 6–8 years old, and among underweight and normal-weight, compared to overweight children (p < 0.001). There was a higher prevalence of overweight and lower prevalence of underweight at 9–11 years compared to 6–8 years old. Physical fitness levels were better in (i) males, compared to females, (ii) schoolchildren aged 9–11 years, compared to 6–8 years old, and (iii) underweight and normal-weight, compared to overweight children.
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Abdelkarim O, Ammar A, Soliman AM, Hökelmann A. Prevalence of overweight and obesity associated with the levels of physical fitness among primary school age children in Assiut city. EGYPTIAN PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATION GAZETTE 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.epag.2017.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
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