Prevalence of overweight and obesity and associations with socioeconomic indicators: the study of health and activity among adolescents in Kuwait
Affiliations
Affiliations
- Charles Perkins Center, Prevention Research Collaboration, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia - juan.reylopez@sydney.edu.au.
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.
- Population Health Research Institute, St George's University of London, London, UK.
- Charles Perkins Center, Prevention Research Collaboration, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Abstract
Background: Kuwait is one of the Arab countries with the highest prevalence of overweight or obesity. However, few studies have described the prevalence of obesity in this country. The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Kuwaiti adolescents; and to examine the association of overweight and obesity status with familial socioeconomic status (SES).
Methods: Cross-sectional data from 591 adolescent students (47% boys, median age: 16 years) from the Study of Health and Activity among Adolescents in Kuwait in 2012 and 2013. Body weight status was determined using the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) body mass index standards. SES was based on parental education. Odds ratio for overweight and obesity were calculated using multiple logistic regression.
Results: In our study, over half of the adolescents were overweight or obese 54.3% (95% CI: 49.9-58.4). The prevalence of overweight (including obesity) was higher in boys (59.8%, 95% CI: 54.3-66.3) than girls (49.2%, 95% CI: 43.5-54.8). No association between parental education and the risk of overweight/obesity was found.
Conclusions: There is an alarmingly high rate of overweight/obesity among Kuwaiti adolescents, but we did not find evidence of a social gradient in obesity risk. Urgent actions are needed to reverse this epidemic across all social groups.
Similar articles
Prevalence of childhood obesity in the state of Kuwait.
Elkum N, Al-Arouj M, Sharifi M, Shaltout A, Bennakhi A.Pediatr Obes. 2016 Dec;11(6):e30-e34. doi: 10.1111/ijpo.12090. Epub 2015 Dec 11.PMID: 26663908
Matthiessen J, Stockmarr A, Biltoft-Jensen A, Fagt S, Zhang H, Groth MV.Scand J Public Health. 2014 Jun;42(4):385-92. doi: 10.1177/1403494813520356. Epub 2014 Feb 10.PMID: 24516062
Lazzeri G, Giacchi MV, Spinelli A, Pammolli A, Dalmasso P, Nardone P, Lamberti A, Cavallo F.Nutr J. 2014 Jul 5;13:69. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-13-69.PMID: 24997676 Free PMC article.
Family socioeconomic status and childhood adiposity in Europe - A scoping review.
Sares-Jäske L, Grönqvist A, Mäki P, Tolonen H, Laatikainen T.Prev Med. 2022 Jul;160:107095. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107095. Epub 2022 May 17.PMID: 35594926 Review.
Childhood obesity in New Zealand.
Chiavaroli V, Gibbins JD, Cutfield WS, Derraik JGB.World J Pediatr. 2019 Aug;15(4):322-331. doi: 10.1007/s12519-019-00261-3. Epub 2019 May 11.PMID: 31079339 Review.
Cited by
Al-Haifi AR, Al-Awadhi BA, Al-Dashti YA, Aljazzaf BH, Allafi AR, Al-Mannai MA, Al-Hazzaa HM.PLoS One. 2022 Jan 4;17(1):e0262101. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262101. eCollection 2022.PMID: 34982787 Free PMC article.
Trend and Causes of Overweight and Obesity among Pre-School Children in Kuwait.
Alqaoud N, Al-Jawaldeh A, Al-Anazi F, Subhakaran M, Doggui R.Children (Basel). 2021 Jun 19;8(6):524. doi: 10.3390/children8060524.PMID: 34205307 Free PMC article.
Al Hammadi HH, Alaslawi HA, Hewitt A, Reilly JJ.J Nutr Sci. 2020 Jul 24;9:e30. doi: 10.1017/jns.2020.24. eCollection 2020.PMID: 32913642 Free PMC article.
Al Hammadi H, Reilly JJ.Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2020 Apr 5;13:1043-1049. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S232545. eCollection 2020.PMID: 32308454 Free PMC article.
Assari S, Boyce S, Bazargan M, Mincy R, Caldwell CH.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Sep 27;16(19):3641. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16193641.PMID: 31569829 Free PMC article.