M.M. Mezie- Okoye
Department of Community Medicine, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 6173, East/West Road, Alakahia, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
B. Alex- Hart
Department of Paediatrics, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 6173, East/West Road, Alakahia, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
Childhood obesity portends risk of adult overweight and obesity and its health consequences. This problem is preventable; unfortunately information on the extent of the problem is scarce in Nigeria. This study aimed at determining the prevalence and factors associated with overweight and obesity among preschool children in Port Harcourt. A cross-sectional study was conducted between September and November, 2010. Two hundred and twenty children in pre-nursery and nursery schools in Port Harcourt were studied. Information were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire filled out by their parents. Heights and weights were measured and BMI calculated, CDC BMI-for-age used for classification of overweight and obesity. Analysis was done using Epi Info 6.04 d. The mean age of the preschoolers was 3.2±1.0 years. The prevalence of overweight and obesity were 15% and 8.6%, respectively. There was no significant sex difference (p = 0.720), viewing television longer than one hour daily was not associated with BMI >85th centile (p = 0.118), while consumption of high fat diet (p = 0.046) and sugar-sweetened drinks (p = 0.000), were associated. Prevalence of overweight and obesity was high among preschoolers in Port Harcourt and was strongly associated with consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks. Mothers in Port Harcourt should be discouraged from giving their children sugar sweetened drinks. More robust studies are needed to confirm findings and identify other risk factors.
PDF References
How to cite this article
M.M. Mezie- Okoye and B. Alex- Hart, 2015. Overweight and Obesity among Preschool Children in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, 14: 209-213.
DOI: 10.3923/pjn.2015.209.213
URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=pjn.2015.209.213
DOI: 10.3923/pjn.2015.209.213
URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=pjn.2015.209.213
REFERENCES
- Akesode, F.A. and H.A. Ajibode, 1983. Prevalence of obesity among Nigerian school children. Social Sci. Med., 17: 107-111.
CrossRefDirect Link - Ben-Bassey, U.P., A.O. Oduwole and O.O. Ogundipe, 2007. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Eti-Osa LGA, Lagos, Nigeria. Obesity Rev., 8: 475-479.
CrossRefDirect Link - Boone, J.E., P. Gordon-Larson, L.S. Adair and B.M. Popkin, 2007. Screen time and physical activity during adolescence: Longitudinal effects on obesity in young adulthood. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act., Vol. 4.
CrossRef - Pan, L., H.M. Blanck, B. Sherry, K. Dalenius and L.M. Grummer-Strawn, 2012. Trends in the prevalence of extreme obesity among US preschool-aged children living in low-income families, 1998-2010. J. Am. Med. Assoc., 308: 2563-2565.
CrossRefDirect Link - De Onis, M., M. Blossner and E. Borghi, 2010. Global prevalence and trends of overweight and obesity among preschool children. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 92: 1257-1264.
Direct Link - De Onis, M. and M. Blossner, 2000. Prevalence and trends of overweight among preschool children in developing countries. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 72: 1032-1039.
PubMedDirect Link - Fatemeh, T., H.T. Mohammed, K. Toba, N. Afsaneh and G. Sharifzadeh, 2012. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in preschool children (2-5 year olds) in Birjand, Iran. BMC Res., Vol. 5.
CrossRef - Freedman, D.S., L.K. Khan, M.K. Serdular, W.H. Dietz, R.S. Srinivasan and G.S. Berenson, 2005. The relation of childhood BMI to adult adiposity: The Bogalusa heart study. Pediatrics, 115: 22-27.
PubMedDirect Link - Gaeini, A., M. Kashef, A. Samadi and A. Fallahi, 2011. Prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity in preschool children of Tehran, Iran. J. Res. Med. Sci., 16: 821-827.
PubMed - Johnson, L., A.P. Mander, L.R. Jones, P.M. Emmett and S.A. Jebb, 2008. Energy-dense, low-fiber, high-fat dietary pattern is associated with increased fatness in childhood. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 87: 846-854.
Direct Link - Kaur, N., S.K. Sidhu and S. Sidhu, 2010. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in preschool children of Amristsar, Punjab. Anthropologist, 12: 221-224.
Direct Link - Kuma, H.N.H., P. Mohanan, S. Kotian, B.S. Sajjan and G.S. Kumar, 2008. Prevalence of overweight and obesity among pre-school children in Semi Urban South India. Indian Pediatr., 45: 497-499.
Direct Link - Ludwig, D.S., K.E. Peterson and S.L. Gortmaker, 2001. Relation between consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and childhood obesity: A prospective, observational analysis. Lancet, 357: 505-508.
CrossRefPubMedDirect Link - Maffeis, C., A. Consolaro, P. Cavarzere, L. Chini and C. Banzato et al., 2006. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in 2- to 6-year-old Italian children. Obesity, 14: 765-769.
CrossRefPubMedDirect Link - Martorell, R., L.K. Khan, M.L. Hughes and L.M. Grummer-Strawn, 2000. Overweight and obesity in preschool children from developing countries. Int. J. Obes., 24: 959-967.
CrossRefDirect Link - Mendoza, J.A., F.J. Zimmerman and D.A. Christakis, 2007. Television viewing, computer use, obesity and adiposity in US preschool children. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Activity, Vol. 4.
CrossRefDirect Link - Newby, P.K., K.E. Peterson, C.S. Berkey, J. Leppert, W.C. Willett and G.A. Colditz, 2004. Beverage consumption is not associated with changes in weight and body mass index among low-income preschool children in North Dakota. J. Am. Dietetic Assoc., 104: 1986-1994.
CrossRefDirect Link - O'Brien, M., P.R. Nader, R.M. Houts, R. Bradley and S.L. Friedman et al., 2007. The ecology of childhood overweight: A 12-year longitudinal analysis. Int. J. Obesity, 31: 1469-1478.
CrossRefDirect Link - Odetunde, O.I., E.E. Neboh, J.M. Chinawa, H.U. Okafor, O.A. Odetunde, O.U. Ezenwosu and U. Ekwochi, 2014. Elevated arterial blood pressure and body mass index among Nigerian preschool children population. BMC Pediatrics, Vol. 14.
CrossRef - Proctor, M.H., L.L. Moore, D. Gao, L.A. Cupples, M.L. Bradlee, M.Y. Hood and R.C. Ellison, 2003. Television viewing and change in body fat from preschool to early adolescence: The Framingham children's study. Int. J. Obesity, 27: 827-833.
CrossRefDirect Link - Reilly, J.J., J. Armstrong, A.R. Dorosty, P.M. Emmett and A. Ness et al., 2005. Early life risk factors for obesity in childhood: Cohort study. Br. Med. J., Vol. 330.
CrossRefDirect Link - Rey-Lopez, J.P., G. Vicente-Rodriguez, M. Biosca and L.A. Moreno, 2008. Sedentary behaviour and obesity development in children and adolescents. Nutr. Metab. Cardiovasc. Dis., 18: 242-251.
CrossRefDirect Link - Senbanjo, I.O. and E.A. Adejuyigbe, 2007. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Nigerian preschool children. Nutr. Health, 18: 391-399.
CrossRefDirect Link - Singh, G.K., M.D. Kogan, P.C. Van Dyek and M. Siahpush, 2008. Racial/ethnic, socioeconomic and behavioral determinants of childhood and adolescent obesity in the United States: Analyzing independent and joint associations. Ann. Epidemiol., 18: 682-695.
CrossRefDirect Link - Welsh, J.A., M.E. Cogswell, S. Rogers, H. Rocket, Z. Mei and L.M. Grummer-Strawn, 2005. Overweight among low-income preschool children associated with the consumption of sweet drinks: Missouri, 1999-2002. Pediatrics, 115: e223-e229.
CrossRefPubMedDirect Link - WHO., 2000. Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic (Technical Report Series No. 894). World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, ISBN-13: 9789241208949, Pages: 253.
Direct Link