Overweight and Obesity Among Children and Adolescents in Baladrouz City

Abstract

Background:Obesity in children and adolescents is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century because of the effects of future morbidity. Its prevalence has increased significantly in mostcountries,especially in low and middle-income countries, especiallyin urban areas. Objective: To know the distribution of this epidemic among our childrenand draw a real picture of intermediate school students in Baladrouzregion. Patients and Methods: A cross-section study, involved the students of the first and the second stages, the information and the measurements were taken from 1798 students(910males, 888females) their ages were between 11-14 years , over one month duration (December of 2017), during this period we visit a were 10 Intermediate schools for both genders (six of them in the center of the region and four in the surrounding villages those belong to the region), included the age, weight, height, counting the body mass index, waist circumference, Neck circumference, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in addition to the questionnaire form and the information of the school card. Results:The percentages of the overweight and the obesityamong males were as follows:26.9% ,17.4 % for intermediate, first and second stages respectively, while in females it was 47.9% ,33.3% respectively .The percentage of weight gain and central obesity of the waist circumference was27.0% ,24.1% for the first and second stages respectively. Either in femals, as follows:21.5%, 12.8% for the first and second stages respectively. There was an increasing in the percentages of systolic blood pressure among female for all stages of the study,which amounted to 60.3%,48.7% either in males was 70.4%,64.8%for the first and second stagesrespectively.The percentage of normal diastolic blood pressure was 54.5%49.0%for males, while infemales it was 72.5%,65.7% for the first and second stages respectively. Conclusion: The study showed high rates of overweight and obesity among middle school students, and was higher in females than males.