Abstract
Obesity among Saudi youth is a growing public health challenge. This cross-sectional study measured body mass index (BMI) and determined the eating habits and lifestyle of 107 randomly selected female adolescent students (age 12-15 years) at schools in Riyadh. The students' heights and weights were measured and a pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data on diet and lifestyle. The majority of the students' families had monthly income > 10 000 riyals (US$ 1 = 3.75 riyals). About half the students (53.3%) were within normal weight, 28.6% were underweight, 12.4% overweight and 5.7% obese. The majority of the students did not have healthy dietary or exercise habits. There were no significant differences between BMI category and dietary pattern and lifestyle. Increasing educational programmes with healthy dietary concepts to improve the dietary pattern of female adolescents is recommended.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
