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Prevalence and Determinants of Overweight and Obesity in a National Sample of 5–12 Years Old Lebanese Children
Author(s) -
Nasreddine Lara,
Naja Farah,
Akl Christelle,
Adra Nada,
Sibai Abla,
Hwalla Nahla
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.811.3
Subject(s) - overweight , obesity , medicine , demography , odds , odds ratio , cross sectional study , environmental health , gerontology , logistic regression , endocrinology , pathology , sociology
The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Lebanese children, and to examine associated socio‐demographic, lifestyle and dietary covariates. Based on weight and height measurements obtained from a national cross‐sectional survey conducted in 2009 on 5 – 12 years old subjects (n=493), BMI was calculated. Overweight and obesity were defined according to WHO 2007 growth standards. The association between overweight (including obesity) and baseline socio‐demographic, lifestyle and dietary covariates was examined. Prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were higher among boys as compared to girls (40.0% vs. 34.7% and 20.8% vs. 11.4%, respectively). Saturated fatty acids intake was significantly greater among overweight and obese children compared to their normal weight counterparts (23.64 vs. 20.81 g/d, respectively). Odds of overweight were significantly lower among children living outside the capital Beirut (OR=0.33) and among those consuming daily breakfast (OR=0.29). Odds of overweight were significantly higher among sedentary children (OR=1.44) and among girls with higher maternal educational level (OR=2.24). Findings of this study underline high levels of childhood overweight and obesity in Lebanon and call for national intervention programs to control this epidemic. Study funded by CNRS‐Lebanon, TEPHINET (US) and WHO