Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity and its Associated Risk Factors and Complications among School Children (10_14) Years

Background: The rising prevalence of childhood obesity and overweight has become a significant public health concern, given the increased likelihood of these children developing chronic non-communicable diseases in the future.

Aim: This study contributed to ascertain the prevalence of obesity and its associated complications and risk factors among schoolchildren.

Patients and methods: The study was conducted in a sample of public and private mixed-gender educational establishments in different hospitals in Iraq. The sample consisted of 77 schools for children between the ages of 10 and 14 years, and the research was carried out between June 2023 and October 2024. Those who were overweight or obese were identified using the body mass index (weight in kg/height in m²). A standardised instrument was prepared and administered to collect information on the socio-demographics and different risks to which the respondent was exposed.

Results: The current study findings indicate that the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 38.96% and 61.04% in males and females, respectively, across both government and private schools. Additionally, children who watched≥4 hours of television per day exhibited 55 cases, while children who engaged in physical activity for 3 days per week demonstrated 56 cases. Furthermore, 54 cases were observed for children who consumed junk food or fast food ≤4 days per week. The following risk factors were identified in the course of our study: family history of obesity (relative risk [RR] 1.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.54–8.77), consumption of junk or fast food (RR 1.50, 95% CI 1.31–1.85), socioeconomic factors (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.73–2.25), and watching television and eating food simultaneously (RR 4.38, 95% CI 2.72–6.94).

Conclusions: The study revealed that children from middle-class backgrounds with limited access to outdoor activities and a tendency to consume junk or fast food were more susceptible to becoming overweight or obese in Iraq.