Key result
Physical activity >3 times weekly is linked to ~64% lower odds of adolescent overweight or obesity.
Why the study?
Understanding relationships between obesity and lifestyle factors is essential for prevention and management in youth, prompting investigation of sociodemographic and lifestyle associations with overweight and obesity in Saudi adolescents.
Cross-Sectional (n=512)
Yes
In Saudi adolescents, female gender, high family income, and social stress were associated with higher odds of overweight and obesity, whereas physical activity and smoking were associated with lower odds.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Does not support changing activity guidelines; leaves open causal role of exercise in adolescent obesity prevention.
Background Understanding the relationships between obesity and lifestyle factors is essential for the effective prevention and management of obesity in youth. This study aimed to investigate the association between sociodemographic factors, lifestyle elements such as physical activity and social stress, and the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Saudi adolescents in the Aseer region. Methodology From December 2022 to March 2023, we conducted a cross-sectional study using the multi-stage stratified random sampling technique. The study included Saudi male and female adolescents aged 12-19 years attending middle and high schools. Ordinal logistic regression was used to analyze the association between the ordinal dependent variable, classified into weight groups (normal, overweight, obese), and the independent variables. Results Of the total of 512 individuals, 90.4% were aged ≥18 years, 77.5% were males, and 76.8% were urban residents. Of the studied population, 33.6% were overweight, and 20.5% were obese. The prevalence of obesity and overweight was significantly higher among males compared to females (20.9% vs. 19.1% and 36.5% vs. 23.5%, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed the following factors to be associated with obesity and overweight: female gender (2.31, 95% CI = 1.45-3.71), age 12-17 years (0.53, 95% CI = 0.28-0.97), place of delivery (Tanoma) (2.32, 95% CI = 1.13-4.75), family size of over eight members (0.43, 95% CI = 0.24-0.74), family monthly income of over 20,000 SAR (3.79, 95% CI = 1.38-11.35), being smokers (0.26, 95% CI = 1.31-2.93), experiencing social stress (1.96, 95% CI = 1.96-2.93), engagement in physical activity less than three times a week (0.49, 95% CI = 0.32-0.75), and engagement in physical activity more than three times a week (0.36, 95% CI = 0.22-0.58). Conclusions These findings emphasize the importance of addressing demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors in combating childhood and adolescent obesity through targeted interventions.
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Alshaikh et al. (2023) conducted a cross-sectional in Overweight and obesity (n=512). Physical activity more than three times a week vs. Physical activity less frequently was evaluated on Odds of being in a higher weight category (overweight or obese) (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.22-0.58, p=<0.05). Engaging in physical activity more than three times a week was associated with significantly lower odds of being overweight or obese among Saudi adolescents (OR 0.36).
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