In:
PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science (PLoS), Vol. 17, No. 1 ( 2022-1-4), p. e0262101-
Abstract:
Recently, the State of Kuwait has witnessed a steady rise in the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents. The present study aims to provide an update on the rate of overweight or obesity among Kuwaiti adolescents and examines the associations between adolescents’ overweight/obesity levels and their perception of body weight as seen by parents or friends. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kuwaiti secondary schools and included adolescents between the ages of 15 and 18 years, using a multistage stratified random sampling method. Body weight and height were measured. A specifically designed self-report questionnaire was used to assess parents’ and friends’ perceptions of an adolescent’s body weight. Results A total of 706 adolescents were included the study. The prevalence of overweight or obesity among Kuwaiti adolescents reached nearly 50%, with males (54.3%) having a significantly higher overweight or obesity percentage than females (44.6%). No significant difference in the prevalence of obesity relative to age, from 15 to 18 years, was found. In addition, logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age and gender, revealed that adolescents perceived their parents (p = 0.011 and p 〈 0.001) or friends (p = 0.002 and p 〈 0.001) as more likely to classify their weight as overweight or obese, respectively. Conclusion Overweight or obesity levels appear to be high among Kuwaiti adolescents, and appears to have reached a plateau recently. Efforts to combat obesity and promote physical activity and healthy nutrition are needed. Future studies should seek to identify important moderators of parental and social underestimation/overestimation of children’s overweight or obesity.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1932-6203
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.t001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.t002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.t003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.t004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.t005
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.s001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.s002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.s003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.r001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.r002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.r003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.r004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.r005
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0262101.r006
Language:
English
Publisher:
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Publication Date:
2022
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2267670-3
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