Background: Childhood obesity is a global problem; identifying its cause is crucial for formulating effective preventative and treatment measures. Objectives: This study assesses variability in body mass index (BMI), sleeping patterns, and eating habits among adolescents in the periurban area of Karachi, Pakistan. Methodology: This school-based cross-sectional survey was conducted from March to April 2023. Responders between 11 and 18 were chosen as research participants – a self-designed, structured, pretested questionnaire was used, and the association was checked through the Chi-square using STATA version 17. Results: Overall, 689 participants, 523 (74.9%) belonged to the 15–18 years of age group, in which 309 (44.8%) were female and 214 (31.9%) were male among them. Most male individuals, 213 (30.9%), were underweight. Of 368 (53.4%) participants, males and females prefer eating twice daily. Twenty-seven percent of male participants chose to sleep for <7.5 h compared to female participants, 211 (30.6%). Conclusion: Sleep and eating preferences significantly affect BMI among both genders. The research discussed here suggests that chronic partial sleep deprivation may increase the risk of obesity and underweight issues through a number of pathways, including having a negative impact on glucose regulation parameters, a dysregulation of the neuroendocrine control of appetite that results in excessive or undereating, and decreased energy expenditure.
Sharif et al. (Mon,) studied this question.