Prevalence and socioeconomic risk factors of obesity among urban female students in Al-Khobar city, Eastern Saudi Arabia, 2003

Change in Growth Status and Obesity Rates among Saudi Children and Adolescents Is Partially Attributed to Discrepancies in Definitions Used: A Review of Anthropometric Measurements

Anthropometric measurements are the first step in determining the health status in children and adolescents. Clinicians require standardized protocols for proper assessment and interpretation. Therefore, this study aims to review the literature of international and Saudi national guidelines and studies previously conducted in Saudi children and adolescents to provide recommendations to establish Saudi guidelines in line with the Saudi 2030 Vision. Systematic search was conducted in several databases: Medline, PubMed, Saudi Digital Library and Google Scholar from January 1990 to January 2021. Further, 167 studies measured anthropometrics in Saudi children/adolescents; 33 of these studies contributed to the establishment/adjustment of Saudi growth charts or specific cutoffs or studied the trend of growth in representative samples or adjusted the international curves to be used in Saudis. This review warrants updating growth charts and establishing the standard cutoffs of Saudi adolescent anthropometrics to avoid over/underreporting. This review provides insights and recommendations regarding the resources that can be used to establish national guidelines in anthropometric measurements for Saudi children/adolescents. This review will help policymakers and the Ministry of Health to establish standardized protocols to be used in Saudi Arabia for anthropometric measurements that may assist in detecting malnutrition.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Gender Differences in Calorie Labeling Policy among Students: Dietary Habits, Nutritional Knowledge and Awareness

Calorie labels may be the most important predictor of dietary choices among college students. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has imposed calorie labels on the menus of restaurants and cafes. The current study looked at how the calorie labeling policy affects Saudi male and female students' dietary habits, nutritional knowledge, and awareness. The study included 802 students (360 males and 442 females) from Saudi Arabia's King Saud University, ranging between 18 and 35 years. Between December 2020 and October 2021, a cross-sectional, electronic, approved and validated survey was conducted to collect data on gender socio-demographic variables, food habits, and nutritional knowledge and awareness, in accordance with the food policy stated. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis. The Likert scale was used to determine the level of awareness and the food habit scores, and the Mann-Whitney U-test was used to determine the differences between the males and females. Spearman's correlation coefficient and simple regression analysis were performed to determine the association between the demographic factors and nutritional knowledge and the awareness of males and females. The results demonstrated that, with the exception of living situations, males and females differed significantly (p ≤ 0.01) in their socio-demographic characteristics. When asked about their food habits after the implementation of calorie labeling, the majority of respondents (>50%) gave negative responses, with a significant difference observed between maintaining body weight (p ≤ 0.05) and gaining weight (p ≤ 0.01). According to the Likert scale, there was a significant difference between males and females in terms of knowledge (p ≤ 0.01) and awareness (p ≤ 0.05). An average of 80.53% of males had very high knowledge (4.07) and 65.65% had medium level (3.24) awareness of calorie labeling, while 83.73% of females had very high knowledge (4.17) and 66.50% had medium level (3.32) awareness of calorie labeling. The socio-demographic and lifestyle variables were significantly and positively or negatively associated with calorie label utilization and varied between respondents, according to the Spearman correlation coefficients (r) and simple linear regression analysis. The number of factors that negatively impacted the males' knowledge and awareness was greater than that of the females. In conclusion, among college students, there were numerous gender differences in the demographic and social characteristics. The respondents' knowledge was insufficient, with females outperforming males.

The Current Prevalence of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity Associated with Demographic Factors among Pakistan School-Aged Children and Adolescents-An Empirical Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: This study investigated the most recent estimates of underweight, overweight, and obesity prevalence in Pakistani school-aged children and adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenience random clustered sampling approach with 3,551 Pakistani school children aged 9 to 17 years from 52 schools throughout seven districts in central Punjab province. The CDC US 2000 was used to define underweight (BMI < 5th percentile), overweight (85th ≤ BMI < 95th percentile), and obesity (95th percentile ≤ BMI) for different school grade cohorts (primary, middle, secondary, and higher secondary schools). As a trend test, the Chi-square test was used. A Spearman correlation analysis (r) was used to determine the correlations between demographic variables and weight status. A regression analysis was conducted to explore the predictive power of demographic factors in relation to body weight. Results: In Pakistani school-aged children and adolescents, the prevalence of underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity was 21.9%, 66.9%, 5.8%, and 5.4%, respectively. Significant correlations with body weight status were shown for individual demographic parameters (age, gender, school type, and school grade). Children in urban areas were more likely to be underweight, overweight, or obese than those in rural areas. Boys were found to have a lower BMI than girls. Accordingly, more boys than girls were underweight (odds ratio (OR) = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.33-1.85) and more girls had a higher risk of obesity than boys (OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.03-1.86). Lower grades showed more underweight (OR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.39-1.99) whereas higher grades showed a higher risk of obesity (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.41-2.57). Conclusions: In Pakistani school-aged children and adolescents, underweight, overweight, and obesity were prevalent. Compared with studies from 2011, the risk of overweight and obesity in Pakistan has decreased. However, this may also be due to the fact that students in Pakistan have a lower BMI compared to other countries. This issue has also been seen in the present study and is confirmed here by the high number of cases of underweight students. Future research studies should look into additional weight status correlates and factors. To evaluate the association between weight status and behavioral and other health variables, future research should use longitudinal or interventional designs.

The Effect of Parental Education and Socioeconomic Status on Dental Caries among Saudi Children

Parental attitudes toward the importance of oral hygiene have an impact on the formation of their children’s oral habits and the prevalence of oral diseases. Our aim was to assess the association between parents’ education and socioeconomic status and their children’s oral health. A cross-sectional study was conducted between the years of 2018 and 2020 in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia among primary school children. Two pre-calibrated dentists performed the clinical examination of the children, and a self-administered validated questionnaire was obtained from their parents. Clinical examination was performed on 589 children with an age range of 3 to 14 years, where 47% were males and 53% were females, 70% with dental caries. Both parents with higher education and a high monthly income were significantly associated with lower prevalence of decayed teeth in their children, respectively. Mother’s education, age, gender and application of sealant were found significantly associated with the high prevalence of caries. High prevalence of tooth decay was reported among school children in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. A high educational level of parents and high income were correlated with a lower prevalence of decayed teeth, similarly to the situation in the case of presence of medical insurance.

The Association Between High Body Mass Index and Technology Use Among Female Elementary School Students

Background Overweight and obesity among children are progressively turning into global issues. Numerous factors have been linked to the proliferation of pediatric obesity. However, there are still questions as to whether the corresponding proliferation in the use of technology could be linked to the increase in body mass index (BMI) among children. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between high BMI in female elementary school-age children and time spent using electronic devices. Methods This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted across three female elementary schools located in Jeddah between 2017 and 2018. All schools which are affiliated with the Ministry of National Guard in Jeddah were included. Demographic data, school performance, sleep routine, physical activity, parents' beliefs, and family demographic data were collected from the legal custodian of the children. The research group visited schools to obtain children's BMI measurements. Results The number of participants who responded to the survey was 681. The results showed that the increase in BMI was non-significantly linked with the period spent using electronic devices, the use of electronic devices before sleep, nor the kind of device used. However, there was a significant association between high BMI and one type of electronic device: the television. There was a significant association between high BMI and the denial by parents that their children were obese. Furthermore, 50% of children were obese while 92.9% of overweight children's parents did not believe that there was a problem with the weight of their children. Conclusion There is no significant association between screen time spent on electronic devices and high BMI among female elementary school-age children. However, lack of physical activity, fast food consumption, and genetic predispositions are still major contributing factors for childhood obesity and overweight. Nearly all parents of children who are overweight did not perceive their children as being overweight, which brings to the fore the subject of lack of awareness about childhood obesity among parents.

Prevalence and social determinants of overweight and obesity in adolescents in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review

Obesity in adolescents has a serious impact later in life in the form of disturbances in health and wellbeing. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of overweight and obesity (Ow/Ob) in Saudi adolescents and to construct an ecological model of social determinants (SDs) of Ow/Ob and evaluate current evidence of their effect on Saudi adolescents. A systematic review of literature reported up until 31 December 2018 on Ow/Ob and factors that can influence them in Saudi adolescents was conducted. Fifty-one studies with n = 97 666 adolescents (55.6% males) were reviewed. The prevalence of Ow/Ob started off high and continued to increase over time. Most of the 49 reviewed SDs reports, from 19 studies, showed positive association between SDs constructed ecological model and Ow/Ob in Saudi adolescents. The prevalence of Ow/Ob among adolescents is a major public health problem in Saudi Arabia, is growing at an alarming rate and SDs play a significant role in this problem, and should be considered in all strategies targeting it. The constructed ecological model for SDs of Ow/Ob in adolescents can serve as a useful exploratory tool that helps investigating the multi-faceted aetiology of adolescent Ow/Ob and facilitates the development of effective intervention and prevention programmes.

Epidemiological Patterns of Skin Disease in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Large epidemiological studies on patterns of skin diseases in Saudi Arabia are scarce. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to gather available epidemiologic data describing the pattern of skin diseases in different geographical areas in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search of articles was conducted in PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science through October 2019. We included all published cross-sectional studies that provided data on relevant incidence or prevalence of skin disease in Saudi Arabia. The risk of bias within the included cross-sectional studies was assessed using the Hoy tool for the prevalence studies. All statistical analysis was performed using the Comprehensive Meta-analysis software.

Results

The present meta-analysis included 14 studies that reported the frequency of the skin disease patterns in different regions in Saudi Arabia with a total sample size of 30436 patients with an overall low risk of bias. The diseases of skin appendages and dermatitis were the most commonly reported skin diseases in Saudi Arabia (24.8% (95% CI, 24.3–25.3) and 24% (95% CI, 23.6%–24.6%), respectively). Skin infection represented about 18.5% (95% CI, 18.1%–19%), while the papulosquamous disorders represented 5.3% (95% CI, 5%–5.6%) of the skin diseases in Saudi Arabia. Skin cancers were pooled from only two studies. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were the most common malignant neoplasm in Saudi Arabia (51.4% and 22.5% of the malignant neoplasm, respectively), while malignant melanoma represents only 3.8% of the malignant skin cancer.

Conclusion

Adnexal disorders and dermatitis are the most common skin disease in Saudi Arabia, followed by skin infection and pigmentary disorders. While skin cancer is more frequent than other countries, awareness campaigns should be initiated to increase knowledge about the harmful effect of long-term sun exposure.

Life style activities and feeling state responses in community sample of diabetic patients in Eastern Providence Saudi Arabia

Background

The aim of the present study was to surveyed life style activity levels within diabetic patients attending the King Fahd teaching hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, and studied their feeling towards performing different physical activity.

Methods

For this purpose, thirty Diabetic patients were randomly recruited, physically tested and handed a questionnaire to fill in.

Results

The result showed that the levels of physical activity are low and found an excessive use of cars by patients to go to public services and homes of friends and neighbors. Such unhealthy lifestyle habits encouraged patients to follow unhealthy habits such as disordered working patterns and infrequent social activity. While for those who follow healthy lifestyle pattern have better feeling while doing certain activities. For instance, patients who exercise running or jogging activities have better feeling while they rum. Moreover, patient who have healthier relaxing lifestyle pattern, have better feeling of what they do while they relax.

Conclusion

The use of exercise physiologists or physiotherapists and psychologists, education system is highly needed to explaining about the health benefits of physical activity. Physical activities should be promoted within the real context of the built environment in the eastern province, KSA.

Childhood Overweight and Obesity is Increasing in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Review of the Literature

Introduction: A review was conducted to examine the prevalence and risk factors of developing overweight and obesity in children residing in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Method: PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar databases using PRISMA guidelines were searched from January 1, 2007, to January 1, 2017. The inclusion criteria were (a) studies written in English, (b) clinical trials that examined risk factors of childhood overweight or obesity, (c) studies involving children 5 to 10 years of age, and (d) studies conducted in GCC countries. Results: Three main types of childhood obesity risk factors were identified (individual, familial, and lifestyle behavioral factors). The dietary, physical activity, and screen time lifestyle behavior risk factor findings were inconclusive. Discussion: Childhood obesity is increasing in GCC countries. Lifestyle behavior risk factors are still unclear. Researchers need to use instruments that have been psychometric tested and culturally acceptable. A follow-up review should be conducted.

Prevalence of obesity and its risk factors among school children in Karachi, Pakistan

A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted during 2012 in private and public-sector schools of Karachi to determine the prevalence and factors influencing overweight and obesity among school children (aged 11-15 years). Sociodemographic characteristics and dietary habits were explored. The CDC Growth Chart was used to record height and weight. Of a total of 887 children, being overweight and frankly obese was found in 169 (19.1%) and 96 (10.8%), respectively. Of these, 176 (66.4%) were from private schools, and significant associations were found in 202 (76.2%) who were spending > 2 h/day watching television and 139 (52.5%) sleeping > 8 h/day.

Some Socioeconomic Factors and Lifestyle Habits Influencing the Prevalence of Obesity among Adolescent Male Students in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the effect of some socioeconomic factors and lifestyle habits on the prevalence of obesity among adolescent male students in the Hail region, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was filled by 1495 male adolescents distributed among 12 schools in the Hail region. Body weight and height were taken, and the Z-score of students was measured using Anthroplus software with a cutoff 1–2 and +2 standard deviations to determine overweight and obesity, respectively. The study revealed that 21.3% of students were overweight and 27% were obese, respectively. There was a negative association between family size of >8 and obesity (OR: 0.68, CI: 0.48–0.92, p = 0.05). Family income of <5000 SR was negatively associated with obesity (OR: 0.59, CI: 0.36–0.97, p = 0.03). Whether a subject’s mother worked (odds ratio (OR): 1.43, confidence interval CI: 1.03–1.99, p = 0.03) as well as the subject’s mother’s education—whether she can read and write, has a middle school degree, or has done postsecondary studies—were positively associated with obesity. Exercise, regardless of the duration, was negatively associated with obesity. In addition, sleeping <6 h/day had a positive association with obesity. Conclusion: a >8 family size and a low family income were negatively associated with obesity, while having an educated and working mother was positively associated with obesity.

Perceived Body Image, Eating Behavior, and Sedentary Activities and Body Mass Index Categories in Kuwaiti Female Adolescents

Background. The State of Kuwait has a growing obesity epidemic in both genders and all age groups; however, obesity rates in the young seem to be rising. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 169 Kuwaiti female adolescents attending both private and public schools spanning the six governorates in the State of Kuwait in order to explore female adolescents' self-image, body dissatisfaction, type of school (private versus public), TV viewing, and computer games and their relationship to body mass index. Results. Approximately half the students classified as obese perceived their body image to lie in the normal range. Females in the obese category were the most dissatisfied with their body image, followed by those in the overweight category. Eating behavior, level of physical activity, school type, television viewing, computer/video usage, and desired BMI were not significantly associated with level of obesity. Conclusion. This study was one of the few studies to assess adolescent females' body image dissatisfaction in relation to obesity in the State of Kuwait. The results suggest that including body image dissatisfaction awareness into obesity prevention programs would be of value.

Frequency of obesity and comorbidities in medical students

Objectives:

To determine the frequency of obesity disorders and their co-morbidities in medical students.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted in Faculty of Medicine, Northern Border University, Ar’ar, Saudi Arabia. All medical students who consented to participate were included in the study. Their relevant information was recorded on a structured proforma. Weight and height of the participants were measured using calibrated manual weighing scale and Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The obtained results were interpreted according to classification of body weight disorders. The participants who turned out to be over-weight and obese were further assessed for hypertension, diabetes mellitus and gallstones. The collected data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20.

Results:

A total of 405 students participated in study, age range was 19-25 years. Male were 169 (41.7%) and female students were 236(58.3%). Family history of obesity was present in 34.3%. Out of 405 students, 126 were having BMI between 25 and 45.6, among them 34(8.4%) students were obese and 88 (21.7%) were overweight. Sixty two (15.3%) among them were male and 64 (15.8%) female. Fourteen (11.1%) were hypertensive and 9(7.1%) were having gall stones.

Conclusion:

The frequency of obesity among medical students was 8.4%. Increasing frequency of obesity associated with unhealthy life style needs to be controlled at national level to raise a healthy generation and to reduce burden on health economy.

The Child Obesity Epidemic in Saudi Arabia: A Review of the Literature

PURPOSE

To examine prevalence, nutrition and activity, and overweight and obesity prevention and management in Saudi Arabia.

DESIGN

Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis criteria, PubMed, Web of Science, PyschINFO, Global Health, Family Studies Worldwide, Middle Eastern Studies, and Sociological Abstracts was searched from January 1, 2003 to January 31, 2016. Inclusion criteria included peer-reviewed articles published in Arabic and English that focused on prevalence, overweight or obesity in children 2 to 20 years of age, body mass index percentile, and interventions.

FINDINGS

Three themes were identified: epidemiological features, where the eastern region had the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity, risk factors, which included higher parental education, and lifestyle factors, which included increased consumption of calorie-dense food and a sedentary lifestyle.

CONCLUSION

Childhood obesity is increasing in Saudi Arabia at an alarming rate.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Practitioners need to consider the cultural influences of the increasing obesity epidemic in Saudi Arabia.

Pediatric hypertension in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Objectives:

To compare the levels of blood pressure (BP) between male and female adolescents in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and reference percentiles for Saudi adolescents. A secondary aim was to explore the distribution of BP among the participants based on age and gender.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 146 boys and girls attending intermediate and secondary schools in 2 regions (Al-Mallaha and Al-Mubarraz) in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Weight, random blood glucose, and BP were collected by a team of health educators in the morning of the school day between April and May 2014.

Results:

Of the current sample of adolescents originally from the Eastern Province, 30% had systolic blood pressure (SBP) of ≥140 mm Hg and 22% had diastolic blood pressure of ≥90 mm Hg. For girls between 13 and 16 years old, the SBP was greater than the 95th percentile of Saudi national norms. Participants were classified by gender and school stage, and one-way analysis of variance showed significant differences in the means of SBP between intermediate boys (127±2.5 mm Hg) and secondary boys (136±2.1 mm Hg) (p<0.05), and between intermediate boys and intermediate girls (138±1.6 mm Hg) (p<0.01).

Conclusion:

The increased level of BP among adolescents originally from the Eastern Province raises the need to update the current BP nomograms, considering possible differences for specific geographic areas across the country. Implementing therapeutic life style management in girls’ schools is recommended.

Concordance of obesity classification between body mass index and percent body fat among school children in Saudi Arabia

Background

In Saudi Arabia, where childhood obesity is a major public health issue, it is important to identify the best tool for obesity classification. Hence, we compared two field methods for their usefulness in epidemiological studies.

Methods

The sample consisted of 874 primary school (grade I-IV) children, aged 6–10 years, and was obtained through a multi-stage random sampling procedure. Weight and height were measured, and BMI (kg/m²) was calculated. Percent body fat was determined with a Futrex analyzer that uses near infrared reactance (NIR) technology. Method specific cut-off values were used for obesity classification. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were determined for BMI, and the agreement between BMI and percent body fat was calculated.

Results

Compared to boys, the mean BMI was higher in girls whereas the mean percent body fat was lower (p-values <0.0001). According to BMI, the prevalence of overweight or obesity was significantly higher in girls (34.3% vs. 17.3%); as oppose to percent body fat, which was similar between the sexes (6.6% vs. 7.0%). The sensitivity of BMI to classify overweight or obesity was high (boys =93%, girls = 100%); and its false-positive detection rate was also high (boys = 63%, girls = 81%). The agreement rate was low between these two methods (boys = 0.48, girls =0.24).

Conclusions

There is poor agreement in obesity classification between BMI and percent body fat, using NIR method, among Saudi school children.

The association between watching television and obesity in children of school-age in Saudi Arabia

Background:

There is little information on the association between watching Television (TV) and obesity in the Arabian Peninsula.

Aim of the Study:

The aim of this study was to explore the association between the watching of television and obesity in Saudi children of school-age.

Materials and Methods:

A case-controlled study was conducted with students between the ages of 9 and 14 years who attended the school health clinic in King Abdulaziz Housing for National Guard (Iskan), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during the study period (February to April 2012). During each clinic, children were selected by simple random sampling (five obese and five non-obese). For data collection, two trained physicians interviewed the participants using a 20-item Arabic questionnaire. Well-trained nurses collected the anthropometric measurements of weight and height.

Results:

The study included 397 students. Higher (body mass index) BMI was associated with a higher number of televisions at home (P < 0.001), watching TV for more than three hours per day at the weekend (P = 0.047), eating more than three snacks per day (P = 0.005), watching TV at night (P = 0.026), and siblings’ decisions on how much TV to watch (P = 0.025). The prevalence of childhood obesity was significantly lower among those whose mothers determined how much TV they could watch (P = 0.03). In logistic regression analysis, the increase in the child's age, the presence of more than one TV at home, having his or her own TV, and an increase in the number of hours of watching TV over the weekend were significantly associated with an increased risk of childhood obesity. Personal computers and the Internet were not significantly associated with an increased risk of childhood obesity.

Conclusion:

The present investigation revealed that watching TV represents an important risk factor for obesity in children of school-age.

Overweight and obesity and related factors in urban Iranian population aged between 20 to 84 years

BACKGROUND

Obesity is one of the most common health problems in the world and is assuming epidemic proportions in both developed and developing countries.

AIM

The present study aimed to provide population-based data on the prevalence of obesity and estimation the risk of some of demographic factors associated with obesity.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

From May 2007 through December 2008, we conducted a community-based cross-sectional survey on 3,000 males and females (age ≥ 20 years) in Tehran province. Respondents were asked to give their height and weight in the questionnaire. Body mass index (BMI) is recognized as the measure of overall obesity and calculated as body weight divided by the square body height in meters (kg/m(2)).

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 34.1% (924/2708) and 15.4% (417/2708). The combined prevalence of both overweight and obesity was 51.2% (1387/2708) in males and 57.5% (1557/2708) in females. The mean (SD) BMI for the total population studied was 26.14 (4.71) and it was higher in women than in men (P < 0.001). The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 39.5% (376/952) and 11.7% (111/952) in men and 36.9% (548/1458) and 20.6% (306/1458) in women. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratios of obesity showed that higher ages, females, married and low educated subjects had more chance to being obese.

CONCLUSION

This population-based cross-sectional survey indicates that the prevalence of overweight and obesity are moderately high in the general Iranian population and must be considered as a significant public health problem at national level especially among women.

Overweight and Obesity and their Association with Dietary Habits, and Sociodemographic Characteristics Among Male Primary School Children in Al-Hassa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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 5^th and 6^th 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.

The effect of parental socioeconomic class on children's body mass indices

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of education and economic status of parents on obesity in children.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2006 among school children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A representative sample of 1243 (542 male and 701 female) children aged 6-16 years were contacted using multistage cluster sampling strategy. Social and demographic variables were collected using questionnaires completed by parents. Height and weight of the children were recorded by a trained team.

RESULTS

The mean body mass index for all children was 19.8±5.4. The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were 21.1% and 12.7%, respectively. Overweight and obesity were more prevalent in males than in females. By multivariate analysis, children were more likely to be overweight if they were male (OR=0.6, p<0.01), 12 years of age (OR=3.79, p<0.01, compared to age 6 years), and if their families had higher income (OR=3.12, p<0.01, compared to families with low income). Being male (OR=0.545, p<0.01), aged 12 years (OR=3.9, p=0.005, compared to the age of 6), and having a mother who is more educated were determined to be significant risk factors for obesity in children. Mothers educated at university level were found to have a three-fold higher risk of having obese children(OR=3.4, p<0.01, compared to mothers with lower education levels).

CONCLUSIONS

Overweight and obesity among Saudi children is associated with educated mothers and higher family income. This finding calls for introducing interventions in health education for both children and parents.

Weight status of adolescents in secondary schools in port Harcourt using Body Mass Index (BMI)

Background

Adolescent weight status is a cumulative effect of health and nutritional problems. Adolescent weight problems often go unnoticed as weight assessment is not considered a priority in adolescents.

Objectives

To determine the weight status of adolescents using BMI and to identify the contributing factors to adolescent weight problems.

Methods

In April 2010, 960 adolescents aged 10–19 years in secondary schools in Port Harcourt were selected for the study using a stratified multi-staged sampling method. Structured questionnaires were filled by the investigators while weight and height were measured. BMI was calculated using the formula weight/height² (kg/m²).

Results

The prevalence of underweight, overweight, obesity and stunting were 6.4%, 6.3%, 1.8% and 5.4% respectively. Factors which were commoner in overweight adolescents were high socioeconomic class, higher maternal education, spending > 3 hours a day watching television and frequent ingestion of snacks.

Conclusion

There is a need for periodic weight assessment of adolescents and health education to promote healthy eating habits and regular physical exercise as part of the School Health Programme.

Parental determinants of overweight and obesity in Iranian adolescents: a national study

OBJECTIVE

Overweight among adolescents is not only an important public health problem but also a problem affecting economic growth in developing countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the parental determinants of overweight and obesity in Iranian adolescents at national level.

METHODS

This cross sectional study was conducted within the framework of the Comprehensive Study on Household Food Consumption Patterns and Nutritional Status of IR Iran during 2001-2003. In adolescents, anthropometric indices were defined based on the CDC 2000 cut-off points for age and gender-specific body mass index (BMI). Parental characteristics were collected by questionnaire. Among the 7158 participating households, data on 7908 adolescents aged 11-19 years (3750 girls and 4158 boys) was analyzed.

FINDINGS

The prevalence of overweight (85-94th percentile) in boys and girls was 6.2%, and 8.7%, respectively. The prevalence of obesity (≥95th percentile) among boys and girls was similar (3.3%). Parents' weight status, father's job and parents' education showed significant association with weight status in adolescents. Logistic regression analysis showed that parental overweight and obesity, parental education and father's job were the main parental determinants of overweight and obesity in Iranian adolescents.

CONCLUSION

Parental overweight and obesity, parental education and father's job seem to be the major parental determinants of overweight in Iranian adolescents. Future prevention programs must take these risk factors into account.

Prevalence and risk factors of obesity among school-aged children in Xi'an, China

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and the risk factors associated with obesity among school-aged children in Xi'an city. The body mass index of 6,740 children aged 7-18 years was compared with the Working Group on Obesity in China cut-off value to estimate the prevalence of obesity. A case-control study of obese and non-obese children was carried out to study risk factors for obesity. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect information on possible risk factors causing obesity. Univariate analysis was performed first to compare the distribution of risk factors between cases and controls. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to assess independent risk factors of obesity. The results showed that the overall prevalence of obesity among school-aged children was 4.11% (4.63% for males and 3.57% for females). A total of 516 subjects (258 pairs of cases and controls) were included in the final analysis. High maternal education and a longer sleeping time were shown to be protective factors against obesity (odds ratio [OR] 0.148, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.074-0.296 and OR 0.472, 95% CI 0.342-0.652, respectively). Whereas family history of diabetes (OR 5.498, 95% CI 2.606-11.600), parental overweight (OR 3.720, 95% CI 2.068-6.689), and watching television, playing video games, and using computers (OR 1.564, 95% CI 1.133-2.159) were associated with a higher obesity risk.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of childhood obesity in Xi'an has become a concern, and sleeping time, sedentary behavior, and family factors have pronounced effects on the prevalence of obesity.

Physical activity, sedentary behaviors and dietary habits among Saudi adolescents relative to age, gender and region

BACKGROUND

Few lifestyle factors have been simultaneously studied and reported for Saudi adolescents. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to report on the prevalence of physical activity, sedentary behaviors and dietary habits among Saudi adolescents and to examine the interrelationships among these factors using representative samples drawn from three major cities in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

This school-based cross-sectional study was conducted during the years 2009-2010 in three cities: Al-Khobar, Jeddah and Riyadh. The participants were 2908 secondary-school males (1401) and females (1507) aged 14-19 years, randomly selected using a multistage stratified sampling technique. Measurements included weight, height, sedentary behaviors (TV viewing, playing video games and computer use), physical activity using a validated questionnaire and dietary habits.

RESULTS

A very high proportion (84% for males and 91.2% for females) of Saudi adolescents spent more than 2 hours on screen time daily and almost half of the males and three-quarters of the females did not meet daily physical activity guidelines. The majority of adolescents did not have a daily intake of breakfast, fruit, vegetables and milk. Females were significantly (p < 0.05) more sedentary, much less physically active, especially with vigorous physical activity, and there were fewer days per week when they consumed breakfast, fruit, milk and diary products, sugar-sweetened drinks, fast foods and energy drinks than did males. However, the females' intake of French fries and potato chips, cakes and donuts, and candy and chocolate was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the males'. Screen time was significantly (p < 0.05) correlated inversely with the intake of breakfast, vegetables and fruit. Physical activity had a significant (p < 0.05) positive relationship with fruit and vegetable intake but not with sedentary behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

The high prevalence of sedentary behaviors, physical inactivity and unhealthy dietary habits among Saudi adolescents is a major public health concern. There is an urgent need for national policy promoting active living and healthy eating and reducing sedentary behaviors among children and adolescents in Saudi Arabia.

Was there a change in the body mass index of Saudi adolescent girls in Al-Khobar between 1997 and 2007?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Special concern is focused on the nutritional status of adolescent girls in order to avoid future health problems. The aim of this study was to determine the change in body mass index (BMI) among adolescent Saudi girls living in Al-Khobar between 1997 and 2007.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional sample of adolescent Saudi girls, 15-19-years-old, living in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, was analyzed through two data sets. The first data set (n = 400) was collected in 1997 and the second (n = 321) was collected in 2007. Both data sets used the same sampling method. Anthropometric measurements were made and the BMI was used to determine participants' nutritional status. Statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS

There was an increase in the median weight of Saudi adolescent girls from 1997 to 2007, but the change was not statistically significant. There was a statistically significant change, however, in adolescent girls' height during the 10-year interval. Using BMI to determine the nutritional status of the sample, no statistically significant difference was found. Overweight and obesity remain prevalent in about 30% of the adolescent girls, and about 3.5% of the girls in both sets were underweight.

CONCLUSIONS

This study concluded that there was no change in BMI among Saudi adolescent girls living in Al-Khobar during the 10-year span. Underweight is of low prevalence, and overweight and obesity are the critical nutritional problems that are faced by this population. Further research using time span comparisons is important to assess changes in maladaptive overweight and obesity.

Establishing abdominal height cut-offs and their association with conventional indices of obesity among Arab children and adolescents

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Obesity, particularly childhood obesity is common in the Middle East, but no studies have examined the relationship of sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) or abdominal height to conventional markers of obesity in this region. This is the first study to document the association of SAD with measures of obesity among Arab children and adolescents.

METHODS

Nine hundred sixty-four Saudi children aged 5-17 years (365 prepubertal, including 146 boys and 219 girls; 249 pubertal, including 125 boys and 124 girls; and 350 postpubertal, including 198 boys and 152 girls) were included in this cross-sectional study.

RESULTS

SAD was significantly correlated with indices of obesity regardless of gender, but was strongest among pubertal boys. The cut-off values were as follows: for prepubertal children, 14 cm (equivalent to 50th percentile among girls and 60th percentile among boys); for pubertal children, 15 cm for girls (30th percentile) and 16 cm for boys (50th percentile), and for postpubertal, 21.5 cm for girls (70th percentile) and 22 cm for boys (80th percentile).

CONCLUSION

SAD is a reliable indicator of visceral obesity among Arab children and adolescents in particular. Prospective studies should be done to determine whether such an association translates to a promising risk factor for hard endpoints such as diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease.

Adolescent obesity in Syria: prevalence and associated factors

Abstract Background Data on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Eastern Mediterranean countries remain scarce, particularly for children and adolescents. The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of obesity and examine associated factors and covariates amongst school adolescents in Syria. Methods A cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 776 adolescents (386 males and 390 females), aged 15-18 years, was conducted in six randomly chosen secondary schools in Damascus, the capital city of Syria. Anthropometric measurements and dietary assessment data were collected using standard methods and techniques. Overweight and obesity were defined according to World Health Organization 2007 child growth standards. Results The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were estimated at 18.9 and 8.6%, respectively. Carbohydrate and saturated fatty acid intakes were significantly higher amongst overweight and obese (250.66 and 32.82 g/day, respectively) as compared with normal weight adolescents (218.12 and 26.10 g/day, respectively). Regression analysis showed that the likelihood of obesity was significantly greater amongst adolescent boys than girls (OR = 2.30, P < 0.05) and amongst subjects reporting family history of obesity (OR = 2.98, P < 0.05). The odds of obesity increased consistently with increasing educational attainment of both parents and was higher (OR = 1.63) amongst adolescents reporting lower crowding index than their counterparts. Conclusion Our findings of a positive association between obesity and socio-economic status measured by parental education and crowding index call for intervention strategies for the promotion of healthy dietary practices not only amongst school adolescents but also parents, targeting families as the unit of intervention. Further studies are needed to examine nutritional habits and food choices amongst families of different socio-economic strata.

Prevalence and risk factors of overweight and obesity among urban school children in Elazig city, Eastern Turkey, 2007

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of obesity is increasing dramatically all over the world. Very little data are currently available on the prevalence of childhood obesity in Turkey, and more research on the risk factors is required before preventive public health programmes can be put into practice.

AIM

The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity and related factors in primary school students in Elazig, a city in eastern Turkey.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

In March-June 2007 a cross-sectional study of children aged 6-11 years old was performed. A total of 1782 girls and 1860 boys were observed. Weight and height were measured. Overweight and obesity using age- and sex-specific body mass index (BMI) cut-off points as defined by the International Obesity Taskforce were used.

RESULTS

Prevalence of overweight and obesity were 13.2% and 1.6%, respectively. According to gender, the prevalence of obesity in boys was 2.0% and overweight was 13.9%, while in girls, obesity was 1.2% and overweight was 12.5%. We found that overweight and obesity may be related to factors such as eating while watching television, and eating fast food.

CONCLUSION

It was noted as a health problem that there are overweight students aged between 6 and 11 years attending primary schools in Elazig province.

Subjective sleep duration and quality influence diet composition and circulating adipocytokines and ghrelin levels in teen-age girls

Understanding the interplay between sleep duration and quality, diet and hormones of obesity may help design effective lifestyle intervention strategies. Here we studied such associations in lean and obese teen-aged Saudi girls. In this cross-sectional observational study, 126 girls (62 lean and 64 obese) aged 14 -18 years (16.5 ± 1.5) were evaluated. A general questionnaire, which included sleep and diet questions, was obtained and anthropometric measurements and overnight fasting blood samples for determination of glucose, lipid profile and serum levels of leptin, adiponectin, resistin and ghrelin were collected. Subjects that slept < 5 hours/day had a higher percent of carbohydrate intake (p = 0.04) than those who slept > 7 hours/day. Adiponectin levels were higher in the lean than the obese group and increased in proportion to hours of sleep. Ghrelin had an inverse association with subjective sleep duration (p = 0.04), while resistin levels were directly proportional to it. Thus, the duration and quality of sleep influenced diet composition and the circulating levels of adipocytokines and ghrelin in adolescent girls. Long and uninterrupted sleep was associated with a better diet and a more favorable hormonal profile.

Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and cancer in the occupied Palestinian territory

Heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cancer are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the occupied Palestinian territory, resulting in a high direct cost of care, high indirect cost in loss of production, and much societal stress. The rates of the classic risk factors for atherosclerotic disease-namely, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, tobacco smoking, and dyslipidaemia-are high and similar to those in neighbouring countries. The urbanisation and continuing nutritional change from a healthy Mediterranean diet to an increasingly western-style diet is associated with reduced activity, obesity, and a loss of the protective effect of the traditional diet. Rates of cancer seem to be lower than those in neighbouring countries, with the leading causes of death being lung cancer in Palestinian men and breast cancer in women. The response of society and the health-care system to this epidemic is inadequate. A large proportion of health-care expenditure is on expensive curative care outside the area. Effective comprehensive prevention programmes should be implemented, and the health-care system should be redesigned to address these diseases.

Overweight and obesity and their relation to dietary habits and socio-demographic characteristics among male primary school children in Al-Hassa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Several studies were carried out to study the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Saudi children, but those assessed the association between eating habits, socio-demographic differentials and obesity in these children are scarce.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the magnitude of obesity and overweight among male primary schoolchildren and to find the possible association between obesity/overweight with dietary habits and socio-demographic differentials among them.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive study including 1,139 Saudi male enrolled in the fifth and sixth grades in public primary schools in Al Hassa, KSA, through a multistage random sampling technique, submitted to interview using Youth and Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire, gathering data regarding dietary intake, some dietary habits, followed by anthropometric measurements with calculation of body mass index, the interpretation of which was based on using Cole's tables for standard definition of overweight and obesity. Socio-demographics data were collected through parental questionnaire form. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS 12 (SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL, USA), univariate as well as multivariate analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

The age ranged from 10 to 14 years. The prevalence of overweight among the included subjects was 14.2% while obesity was 9.7%, more in urban, older age students, mothers of obese and overweight were less educated, more working. Missing and or infrequent intake of breakfast at home, frequent consumption of fast foods, low servings of fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy product per day, with frequent consumption of sweets/candy and carbonated drinks were all predictors of obesity and overweight among the included male schoolchildren.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of childhood obesity is escalating and approaching figures reported in the developed countries. Less healthy dietary habits and poor food choices may be responsible for this high prevalence.

Weight loss produced by tesofensine in patients with Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease

OBJECTIVE

Tesofensine (TE) is a norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin reuptake inhibitor. We conducted a meta-analysis of TE's effect on body weight in trials investigating its potential for treatment of Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Four randomized, double-blind, multicenter trials compared TE (n = 740) and placebo (n = 228), two in each disease. Patients received oral TE or placebo once daily for 14 weeks without any weight loss program. Results were adjusted for baseline values, age, and study.

RESULTS

In the placebo group, 14% were obese and 21% were in the TE group. In the total cohort, weight change after 14 weeks was +0.5, -0.5, -0.9, -1.8, -2.8% in the placebo, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg in the TE groups, respectively (P = 0.015 for dose effect). In the obese subgroup, weight changes were -0.2, -1.7, -1.6, -1.5, -3.7%, and 2.1, 8.2, 14.1, 20.9, 32.1% of the obese patients achieved > or = 5% weight loss (P < 0.001 for 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mg vs. placebo for both end points). Changes in heart rate were -0.4, 2.1, 4.2, 6.0, and 6.8 bpm after 14 weeks (TE vs. placebo: P < 0.001 from 0.25 mg), but no effect on blood pressure was observed.

DISCUSSION

TE produced a placebo-subtracted weight loss of approximately 4% for >14 weeks without any diet and lifestyle therapy, which is similar to that of sibutramine, but with no effect on blood pressure. On the basis of these results, TE is now being developed for obesity management.