Journal of Nutritional Disorders & Therapy

Abstract

Prevalence of Childhood Overweight and Obesity and its Determinant Factors Among Elementary School Children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Cross Sectional Study

Bereket Gebremichael and Amsale Chere

Background: Obesity and overweight pose major risk for serious diet-related chronic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, and certain forms of cancer. Even though there is no well-documented information recently, chronic diseases that are directly or indirectly related to overweight and obesity are increasing in Ethiopia especially in urban areas.

Objective: the main aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity and its determinant factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 463 elementary school children in Addis Ababa. Study participants were selected using multi stage sampling from 10 public and 10 private elementary Schools. Overweight and obesity was determined using CDC 2000, BMI percentile chart. Socio-demographic and other determinants of childhood overweight were assessed. Data were collected using combination of interview of children and self-administered questionnaire to their parents. Finally data were processed and analysed using Epi info version 3.5.4and SPSS version 21.

Result: A total 463 children and 463 parents participated in the study. The overall prevalence of underweight, normal, overweight and obesity is 44(9.5%), 360(77.8%), 46(9.9%) and 13(2.8%) respectively. Sex specific prevalence of overweight and obesity shows 7.7% and 3.2% for male and 12%and 2.5% for female respectively. Significant association with overweight was observed among car ownership of the family (p<0.001), number of snacks per day (p=0.03), sweet food preference (p<0.001), buying ice cream (p=0.014), eating breakfast irregularly (p=0.034), walking or riding bicycle for at least 10 minutes per day (p=0.009) and family participation in regular physical activity (p=0.023).

Conclusion and Recommendations: The prevalence of overweight was found to be high even comparable with the global prevalence. Among the factors identified are unhealthy dietary pattern like preferring sweet foods, eating breakfast irregularly, buying ice cream and frequent snacking are strongly associated with overweight. In addition physical inactivity are also important factors impacting on the risk of obesity in children. If Primary preventive measures is not taken immediately, prevalence of overweight and obesity among children in Addis Ababa might increase rapidly in the coming few years. Early interventions on modifiable risk factors by promoting active lifestyles and healthy diets are likely to decrease the rate of childhood obesity.