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      Prevalence and Predictors of Obesity among 7- to 17-Year-Old Schoolchildren in Urban Arusha, Tanzania

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      1 , , 1 , 2
      Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
      Hindawi

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          Abstract

          Background

          Childhood obesity is currently increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. Childhood obesity research has not been reported in urban Arusha before. This is therefore the first study to investigate the prevalence and predictors of childhood obesity in urban Arusha.

          Methods

          A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 451 schoolchildren. Overweight was defined to range from 85 th to 94 th BMI percentile for age and sex while obesity was defined as above 94 th BMI percentile for age and sex. Chi-square test was used for comparison between child sex and sociobehaviors, and multiple logistic regression was used to determine the significant predictor factors at P values = 0.05.

          Results

          The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 17.7% (80/451) with 12.6% (57/451) being obese and 5.1% (23/451) being overweight. Results from univariate logistic regression showed child sex, random sleeping time, and random eating habit were the significant predictor factors. However, when all the predictor factors were used in the final multiple logistic regression model, only random sleeping time and random eating habit of different food items irrespective of their nature were significant at P=0.000, AOR = 4.47, and 95% CI = 2.00–10.01, and P=0.012, AOR = 2.54, and 95% CI = 1.23–5.33, respectively.

          Conclusions

          The prevalence of obesity was as higher as twice the prevalence observed in other previous studies in Tanzania. Being a girl, random sleeping time and random eating habit were independent predictors. In addition to larger sample sizes, longitudinal studies are needed in order to track individuals and population level trends in BMI over time.

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          Most cited references38

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          Childhood obesity and adult morbidities.

          The prevalence and severity of obesity have increased in recent years, likely the result of complex interactions between genes, dietary intake, physical activity, and the environment. The expression of genes favoring the storage of excess calories as fat, which have been selected for over many millennia and are relatively static, has become maladaptive in a rapidly changing environment that minimizes opportunities for energy expenditure and maximizes opportunities for energy intake. The consequences of childhood and adolescent obesity include earlier puberty and menarche in girls, type 2 diabetes and increased incidence of the metabolic syndrome in youth and adults, and obesity in adulthood. These changes are associated with cardiovascular disease as well as with several cancers in adults, likely through insulin resistance and production of inflammatory cytokines. Although concerns have arisen regarding environmental exposures, there have been no formal expert recommendations. Currently, the most important factors underlying the obesity epidemic are the current opportunities for energy intake coupled with limited energy expenditure.
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            Gendered dimensions of obesity in childhood and adolescence

            Background The literature on childhood and adolescent obesity is vast. In addition to producing a general overview, this paper aims to highlight gender differences or similarities, an area which has tended not to be the principal focus of this literature. Methods Databases were searched using the terms 'obesity' and 'child', 'adolescent', 'teenager', 'youth', 'young people', 'sex', 'gender', 'masculine', 'feminine', 'male', 'female', 'boy' and 'girl' (or variations on these terms). In order to limit the potential literature, the main focus is on other reviews, both general and relating to specific aspects of obesity. Results The findings of genetic studies are similar for males and females, and differences in obesity rates as defined by body mass index are generally small and inconsistent. However, differences between males and females due to biology are evident in the patterning of body fat, the fat levels at which health risks become apparent, levels of resting energy expenditure and energy requirements, ability to engage in certain physical activities and the consequences of obesity for the female reproductive system. Differences due to society or culture include food choices and dietary concerns, overall physical activity levels, body satisfaction and the long-term psychosocial consequences of childhood and adolescent obesity. Conclusion This review suggests differences between males and females in exposure and vulnerability to obesogenic environments, the consequences of child and adolescent obesity, and responses to interventions for the condition. A clearer focus on gender differences is required among both researchers and policy makers within this field.
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              Race/ethnic issues in obesity and obesity-related comorbidities.

              The prevalence of obesity is increasing among all age and racial groups in the United States. There is, however, a disproportionate rise in the prevalence of obesity among African-Americans and Hispanic/Mexican Americans. Obesity is a major contributor to the insulin resistant syndrome (IRS), a condition of multiple metabolic abnormalities that is a precursor to type 2 diabetes, and confers a high risk for cardiovascular events. The estimated prevalence of IRS is also greater in Mexican Americans and African-Americans than in Caucasians. The IRS is identifiable in children, and as with adults, there are racial differences in its expression even at a young age. The obesity-associated diseases, including diabetes and hypertension, are found at higher rates within the minority races compared with Caucasians. However, there are differences, in that obesity-related hypertension occurs at higher rates among African-Americans, and obesity-related diabetes occurs at higher rates among Mexican Americans. Race/ethnic differences in lifestyle behaviors and economic disadvantage may account for some of the race disparity in obesity-related diseases and disease outcomes. Environmental factors, however, do not explain all of the race disparity in disease expression, indicating that there are genetic/molecular factors that are operational as well.
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                Author and article information

                Contributors
                Journal
                J Nutr Metab
                J Nutr Metab
                JNME
                Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
                Hindawi
                2090-0724
                2090-0732
                2019
                29 October 2019
                : 2019
                : 3106597
                Affiliations
                1Department of Food Biotechnology and Nutrition Sciences, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, P. O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
                2Department of Foods, Nutrition and Dietetics, Kenyatta University, Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
                Author notes

                Academic Editor: C. S. Johnston

                Author information
                https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9291-6416
                Article
                10.1155/2019/3106597
                6854959
                31772772
                e7439c48-df74-4dd3-91d9-8c1bbc338ad7
                Copyright © 2019 Haji Chomba et al.

                This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

                History
                : 29 May 2019
                : 21 September 2019
                : 30 September 2019
                Funding
                Funded by: Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology
                Categories
                Research Article

                Nutrition & Dietetics
                Nutrition & Dietetics

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