Prevalence of factors leading to obesity among school children (aged 15–18 years) in Giza governorate, Egypt

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of obesity and the factors leading to it among adolescents in Giza governorate. Participants and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1021 adolescents (between 15 and 18 years of age) of both sexes. They were recruited from different schools of Giza governorate, Egypt, through convenience sampling. The ‘Obesity Questionnaire Survey Sheet’ was administered to the selected students and they were assessed for height, weight, and body composition using InBody120. The frequencies and percentages were reported for categorical variables. Results The results revealed that 58% of the adolescents had normal BMI, whereas 36.5% were overweight and obese. It is also interesting to find out that 78.1% had high percent body fat and 69.5% had peripheral obesity. Furthermore, 77.9% of students had trunk obesity. As regards fast food consumption, 79% of adolescents consumed it occasionally. It is also interesting that 40.4% of participants had positive family history. In addition, 54.9% of students never participated in any physical activity. Conclusion Our study concluded that the major risk factor for obesity in 15–18-year-old adolescents is lack of physical activity. However, consumption of fast food is also increasing in this age group. Furthermore, genetic predisposition cannot be ignored.