Overweight and Obesity and Associated Factors among School-Aged Adolescents in Ghana and Uganda
The aim of this study was to assess overweight and obesity and associated factors in school-going adolescents in low income African countries (Ghana, Uganda). The total sample included 5,613 school children aged 13 to 15 years from nationally representative samples from two African countries. Bivari...
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Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/8/10/3859/ |
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doaj-b144e860bc1c4be98a2db787a9f5cb1a2020-11-24T22:46:18ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1660-46012011-09-018103859387010.3390/ijerph8103859Overweight and Obesity and Associated Factors among School-Aged Adolescents in Ghana and UgandaKarl PeltzerSupa PengpidThe aim of this study was to assess overweight and obesity and associated factors in school-going adolescents in low income African countries (Ghana, Uganda). The total sample included 5,613 school children aged 13 to 15 years from nationally representative samples from two African countries. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between dietary behavior, substance use, physical activity, psychosocial factors and overweight or obesity. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was determined based on self-reported height and weight and the international child body mass index standards. Results indicate a prevalence of overweight or obesity of 10.4% among girls and 3.2% among boys, and 0.9% and 0.5% obesity only among girls and boys, respectively. Among girls smoking cigarettes and loneliness and among boys smoking cigarettes were found to be associated with overweight or obesity in multivariable analysis. Overweight status was not associated with the intake of fruits, vegetables, and sedentary behavior. Low prevalence rates of overweight or obesity were found in Ghana and Uganda. Smoking cessation and social programs could be integrated into strategies to prevent and treat overweight and obesity in youth.http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/8/10/3859/overweightobesityglobal school-based health surveydietary behaviorphysical activitysedentary behaviorpsychosocial factorsGhanaUganda |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Karl Peltzer Supa Pengpid |
spellingShingle |
Karl Peltzer Supa Pengpid Overweight and Obesity and Associated Factors among School-Aged Adolescents in Ghana and Uganda International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health overweight obesity global school-based health survey dietary behavior physical activity sedentary behavior psychosocial factors Ghana Uganda |
author_facet |
Karl Peltzer Supa Pengpid |
author_sort |
Karl Peltzer |
title |
Overweight and Obesity and Associated Factors among School-Aged Adolescents in Ghana and Uganda |
title_short |
Overweight and Obesity and Associated Factors among School-Aged Adolescents in Ghana and Uganda |
title_full |
Overweight and Obesity and Associated Factors among School-Aged Adolescents in Ghana and Uganda |
title_fullStr |
Overweight and Obesity and Associated Factors among School-Aged Adolescents in Ghana and Uganda |
title_full_unstemmed |
Overweight and Obesity and Associated Factors among School-Aged Adolescents in Ghana and Uganda |
title_sort |
overweight and obesity and associated factors among school-aged adolescents in ghana and uganda |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
issn |
1660-4601 |
publishDate |
2011-09-01 |
description |
The aim of this study was to assess overweight and obesity and associated factors in school-going adolescents in low income African countries (Ghana, Uganda). The total sample included 5,613 school children aged 13 to 15 years from nationally representative samples from two African countries. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between dietary behavior, substance use, physical activity, psychosocial factors and overweight or obesity. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was determined based on self-reported height and weight and the international child body mass index standards. Results indicate a prevalence of overweight or obesity of 10.4% among girls and 3.2% among boys, and 0.9% and 0.5% obesity only among girls and boys, respectively. Among girls smoking cigarettes and loneliness and among boys smoking cigarettes were found to be associated with overweight or obesity in multivariable analysis. Overweight status was not associated with the intake of fruits, vegetables, and sedentary behavior. Low prevalence rates of overweight or obesity were found in Ghana and Uganda. Smoking cessation and social programs could be integrated into strategies to prevent and treat overweight and obesity in youth. |
topic |
overweight obesity global school-based health survey dietary behavior physical activity sedentary behavior psychosocial factors Ghana Uganda |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/8/10/3859/ |
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