Nursing and Public Health

Piel. Zdr. Publ.
Index Copernicus (ICV) – 69.56
Average rejection rate – 24.41%
ISSN 2082-9876 (print)
ISSN 2451-1870 (online)
Periodicity – quarterly

Download original text (EN)

Pielęgniarstwo i Zdrowie Publiczne Nursing and Public Health

2020, vol. 10, nr 3, July-September, p. 149–157

doi: 10.17219/pzp/118081

Publication type: original article

Language: English

Download citation:

  • BIBTEX (JabRef, Mendeley)
  • RIS (Papers, Reference Manager, RefWorks, Zotero)

Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 Open Access

Food consumption patterns among children and adolescents and their correlation with overweight/obesity in Egypt: A cross-sectional study

Ayoub Al Jawaldeh1,A,D,E,F, Israa Ahmed Radwan2,B,C,F, Dina Rady2,B,C,F, Sara El Moshy2,B,C,F, Nermeen Abu Bakr2,B,C,F, Marwa Magdy Saad Abbass2,A,B,C,D,E,F

1 Institute of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

2 Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University, Egypt

Abstract

Background. Overweight and obesity have become epidemic diseases in Egypt. The first step to combat overweight and obesity is to study their immediate and underlying causes.
Objectives. To evaluate the prevalence of overweight/obesity among Egyptian children and adolescents in correlation to food consumption patterns and other risk factors.
Material and Methods. This study was conducted in 369 children and adolescents, age ranging 3–18 years. Sociodemographic data and food consumption patterns were recorded using a food frequency questionnaire. Body mass index was calculated and the World Health Organization (WHO) ageand gender-percentile charts were used to determine overweight and obesity.
Results. We found that 147 (39%) of the children and adolescents studied were overweight or obese. Age was inversely correlated to overweight/obesity prevalence and male gender was positively correlated. The highest rate of overweight/obesity was at the age of 3–4 years among boys. Parental education levels and socioeconomic status revealed no correlation with overweight/obesity. Carbonated soft drinks were the only dietary element positively correlated (Spearman’s rho = 0.129; p = 0.017). After adjusting the effect of age and gender; carbohydrates, eggs, sugar (either added by the consumer to drinks and food or eaten on their own), crackers, junk food, chocolate, carbonated soft drinks and juices influenced overweight/obesity among children and adolescents (p < 0.05).
Conclusion. High percentages of overweight/obesity have been reported among Egyptian children and adolescents. Prompt action needs to be taken to prohibit unhealthy food items including carbonated soft drinks, crackers, juices and chocolates in schools as well as to advocate for increasing taxes on them.

Key words

obesity, overweight, children and adolescents, food consumption

References (41)

  1. GBD 2015 Causes of Death Collaborators. Health effects of overweight and obesity in 195 countries over 25 years. N Eng J Med. 2017;377:13–27. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1614362
  2. Unicef, World Health Organization, World Bank Group Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates. Levels and trends in child malnutrition: 2018 edition. https://reliefweb.int/report/world/levels-and-trends-child-malnutrition-unicefwhoworld-bank-group-joint-child-malnutrition. Published on May 11, 2018. Accessed on April 10, 2020.
  3. World Health Organization. Obesity and overweight. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight. Updated on March 3, 2020. Accessed on April 10, 2020.
  4. World Health Organization. Global Health Observatory data repository. http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main. Accessed on April 10, 2020.
  5. Reilly JJ, Kelly J. Long-term impact of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence on morbidity and premature mortality in adulthood: Systematic review. Int J Obes (Lond). 2011;35(7):891–898. doi:10.1038/ijo.2010.222
  6. Bonell C, Jamal F, Harden A, et al. Systematic review of the effects of schools and school environment interventions on health: Evidence mapping and synthesis. Public Health Res. 2013;1(1). doi:10.3310/phr01010
  7. Musaiger AO. Food Consumption Patterns in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Manama, Bahrain: Arab Center for Nutrition; 2011. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236668592_Food_Consumption_Patterns_in_the_Eastern_Mediterranean_Region. Accessed on April 10, 2020.
  8. Fanzo J, Hawkes C, Udomkesmalee E, Afshin A, et al. Global Nutrition Report: Shining a Light to Spur Action on Nutrition. Bristol, United Kingdom: Development Initiatives Poverty Research; 2018. https://scalingupnutrition.org/news/the-2018-global-nutrition-report-shining-a-light-to-spur-action-on-nutrition/. Accessed on April 10, 2020.
  9. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. FAOSTAT – new food balances. http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/FBS. Accessed on April 10, 2020.
  10. World Health Organization. Diet, Nutrition, and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases: Report of a Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2003. https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/trs916/download/en/. Accessed on April 10, 2020.
  11. Yang L, Bovet P, Liu Y, et al. Consumption of carbonated soft drinks among young adolescents aged 12 to 15 years in 53 low-and middle-income countries. Am J Public Health. 2017;107(7):1095–1100. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2017.303762
  12. Daniel WW, Cross CL. Biostatistics: A Foundation for Analysis in the Health Sciences. 11th ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley; 2018.
  13. World Health Organization. Growth reference 5–19 years. https://www.who.int/growthref/who2007_bmi_for_age/en/. Accessed on April 10, 2020.
  14. Kuźbicka K, Rachoń D. Bad eating habits as the main cause of obesity among children. Pediatr Endocrinol Diabetes Metab. 2013;19(3):106–110.
  15. El-Gilany A, El-Wehady A, El-Wasify M. Updating and validation of the socioeconomic status scale for health research in Egypt. East Mediterr Health J. 2012;18(9):962–968. http://applications.emro.who.int/emhj/v18/09/2012_18_9_0962_0968.pdf. Accessed on April 10, 2020.
  16. Agostoni C, Braegger C, Decsi T, et al.; ESPGHAN Committee on Nutrition. Role of dietary factors and food habits in the development of childhood obesity: A commentary by the ESPGHAN Committee on Nutrition. J Paediatr Gastroenterology Nutr. 2011;52(6):662–669. doi:10.1097/MPG.0b013e3182169253
  17. Hafez AS, EL Amady MY, Hassan NE. Obesity profile among primary school children in Cairo. Egypt J Community Med. 2004;18:99–170.
  18. Talat MA, El Shahat E. Prevalence of overweight and obesity among preparatory school adolescents in Urban Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. Gaz Egypt Paediatr Assoc. 2016;64:20–25. doi:10.1016/j.epag.2015.11.004
  19. Dietz WH. Overweight in childhood and adolescence. N Engl J Med. 26;350(9):855–857. doi:10.1056/NEJMp048008
  20. Maruf FA, Aronu UC, Chukwuegbu K, Aronu AE. Influence of gender on prevalence of overweight and obesity in Nigerian schoolchildren and adolescents. Tanzan J Health Res. 2013;15(4):247–251. doi:10.4314/thrb.v15i4.6
  21. Krassas GE, Tsametis C, Baleki V, et al; Balkan Group for the Study of Obesity. Prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in Thessaloniki – Greece and Kayseri – Turkey. Pediatr Endocrinol Rev. 2004;1(Suppl 3):460–464.
  22. Thibault H, Contrand B, Saubusse E, Baine M, Maurice-Tison S. Risk factors for overweight and obesity in French adolescents: Physical activity, sedentary behavior and parental characteristics. Nutrition. 2010;26(2):192–200. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2009.03.015
  23. Andegiorgish AK, Wang J, Zhang X, Liu X, Zhu H. Prevalence of overweight and obesity, associated risk factors among school children and adolescents in Tianjin, China. Eur J Pediatr. 2012;171(4):697–703. doi:10.1007/s00431-011-1636-x
  24. El-Bayoumy I. Prevalence of obesity among adolescents (10–14years) in Kuwait. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2012;28.
  25. Hassan-Wassef H. Food habits of the Egyptians: Newly emerging trends. East Mediterr Health J. 2004;10(6):898–915. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/116908. Accessed on April 10, 2020.
  26. Abdel-Hady D, El-Gilany AH, Sarraf B. Dietary habits of adolescent students in Mansoura, Egypt. Pan Afr Med J. 2012;13:22.
  27. Papandreou D, Makedou K, Zormpa A, Karampola M, Ioannou A, Hitoglou-Makedou A. Are dietary intakes related to obesity in children? Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2016;4(2):194–199. doi:10.3889/oamjms.2016.045
  28. Sartorius K, Sartorius B, Madiba TE, Stefan C. Does high-carbohydrate intake lead to increased risk of obesity? A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open. 2018;8(2):e018449. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018449
  29. Malik VS, Pan A, Willett WC, Hu FB. Sugar-sweetened beverages and weight gain in children and adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;98(4):1084–1102. doi:10.3945/ajcn.113.058362
  30. Bader Esam A. Economic modelling and forecasting of sugar production and consumption in Egypt. Int J of Agric Econ. 2017;2(4):96–109. doi:10.11648/j.ijae.20170204.12
  31. van Dam RM, Seidell JC. Carbohydrate intake and obesity. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007;61(Suppl 1):S75–99. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602939
  32. Garnett BR, Rosenberg KD, Morris DS. Consumption of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages by 2-year-olds: Findings from a population-based survey. Public Health Nutr. 2013;16(10):1760–1767. doi:10.1017/S1368980012004399
  33. Keller A, Bucher Della Torre S. Sugar-sweetened beverages and obesity among children and adolescents: A review of systematic literature reviews. Child Obes. 2015;11(4):338–346. doi:10.1089/chi.2014.0117
  34. Fernandez ML. Rethinking dietary cholesterol. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2012;15(2):117–121. doi:10.1097/MCO.0b013e32834d2259
  35. Flores M, Macias N, Rivera M, et al. Dietary patterns in Mexican adults are associated with risk of being overweight or obese. J Nutr. 2010;140(10):1869–1873. doi:10.3945/jn.110.121533
  36. Hsiao PY, Mitchell DC, Coffman DL, et al. Dietary patterns and diet quality among diverse older adults: The University of Alabama at Birmingham study of aging. J Nutr Health Aging. 2013;17(1):19–25. doi:10.1007/s12603-012-0082-4
  37. Greenberg JA, Manson JE, Buijsse B, et al. Chocolate-candy consumption and 3-year weight gain among postmenopausal US women. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015;23(3):677–683. doi:10.1002/oby.20983
  38. Dorenkott MR, Griffin LE, Goodrich KM, et al. Oligomeric cocoa procyanidins possess enhanced bioactivity compared to monomeric and polymeric cocoa procyanidins for preventing the development of obesity, insulin resistance, and impaired glucose tolerance during high-fat feeding. J Agric Food Chem. 2014;62(10):2216–2227. doi:10.1021/jf500333y
  39. Burton-Freeman B. Dietary fiber and energy regulation. J Nutr. 2000;130(Suppl 2S):272S–275S. doi:10.1093/jn/130.2.272S
  40. Mohammadbeigi A, Asgarian A, Moshir E, et al. Fast food consumption and overweight/obesity prevalence in students and its association with general and abdominal obesity. J Prev Med Hygiene. 2018;59(3):E236–E240. doi:10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2018.59.3.830.
  41. Shah T, Purohit G, Nair SP, Patel B, Rawal Y, Shah RM. Assessment of obesity, overweight and its association with the fast food consumption in medical students. J Clin Diagn Res. 2014;8(5):CC05–7. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2014/7908.4351
© Wroclaw Medical University