Investigatinge the Relationship Between Obesity with Physical Activity, Feeding Behavior and Television Viewing in Students Aged 12-14 Years

Abstract

Introduction:Obesity is the most prevalent nutritional disease among children and adolescents in Iran. Awareness of obesity risk factors in childhood and adolescence and their control is one of the most important public health problems. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between obesity, physical activity, food habits and television viewing among students in Yazd .

Methods: In this study, 334 students who aged between 12 to14 years old were selected by cluster sampling. Considering age and gender,  underweight, normal weight, over weight and obesity were defined as BMI<5 th percentile ,5 <BMI<84.9 th percentile , 85 <BMI<84.9 and BMI ≥95th percentile respectively. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to measure dietary habits, fined the time that spent on television viewing and playing computer games; and "Fels Paq For Children questionnaire" was used to measure the physical activity in students. Data were analyzed using SPSS16 software, Chi-square and multiple logistic regressions.

Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 17.7% and 21%, respectively. The prevalence of obesity was significantly higher in boys (p = 0.006) and students whose mothers had higher education (p = 0.02). The results of logistic regression model showed that consumption fruit once and less than one in week increased the risk of overweight and obesity by 20.07 and14.76 times, respectively.  A significant relationship was observed between increase hours of computer games and obesity. There was no relationship between consumption of fast food, soft drinks, cakes, biscuits, chips, puffs and watching TV with obesity and overweight.