Abstract
BackgroundOverweight and obesity among children are progressively turning into global issues. Numerous factors have been linked to the proliferation of pediatric obesity. However, there are still questions as to whether the corresponding proliferation in the use of technology could be linked to the increase in body mass index (BMI) among children. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between high BMI in female elementary school-age children and time spent using electronic devices.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study that was conducted across three female elementary schools located in Jeddah between 2017 and 2018. All schools which are affiliated with the Ministry of National Guard in Jeddah were included. Demographic data, school performance, sleep routine, physical activity, parents' beliefs, and family demographic data were collected from the legal custodian of the children. The research group visited schools to obtain children's BMI measurements.ResultsThe number of participants who responded to the survey was 681. The results showed that the increase in BMI was non-significantly linked with the period spent using electronic devices, the use of electronic devices before sleep, nor the kind of device used. However, there was a significant association between high BMI and one type of electronic device: the television. There was a significant association between high BMI and the denial by parents that their children were obese. Furthermore, 50% of children were obese while 92.9% of overweight children's parents did not believe that there was a problem with the weight of their children.ConclusionThere is no significant association between screen time spent on electronic devices and high BMI among female elementary school-age children. However, lack of physical activity, fast food consumption, and genetic predispositions are still major contributing factors for childhood obesity and overweight. Nearly all parents of children who are overweight did not perceive their children as being overweight, which brings to the fore the subject of lack of awareness about childhood obesity among parents.
Highlights
Childhood obesity is considered a universal epidemic [1]
The results showed that the increase in body mass index (BMI) was non-significantly linked with the period spent using electronic devices, the use of electronic devices before sleep, nor the kind of device used
There was a significant association between high BMI and one type of electronic device: the television
Summary
Childhood obesity is considered a universal epidemic [1]. By 2016, statistics by the World Health Organization were showing that the number of obese or overweight children was around 41 million while another 92 million children faced the risk of becoming overweight [2]. The same source indicates that childhood obesity and overweight prevalence had increased significantly to 6.7% from 4.2% in the last two decades. Other estimates indicate that children who are at the risk of high body mass index (BMI) are around 60 million [2,3]. With regards to Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of obesity and overweight in children between the ages of five and 18 was 23% and 9.3% in 2010, respectively [4]. Using the results of these calculations, children are placed into numerous categories: obese, overweight, normal, and underweight [5]. There are still questions as to whether the corresponding proliferation in the use of technology could be linked to the increase in body mass index (BMI) among children. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between high BMI in female elementary school-age children and time spent using electronic devices
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