• DOI:10.26719/EMHJ.18.052
• Corpus ID: 53375125

Prevalence of childhood obesity and related parental factors across socioeconomic strata in Ankara, Turkey.

@article{Yardim2019PrevalenceOC,
  title={Prevalence of childhood obesity and related parental factors across socioeconomic strata in Ankara, Turkey.},
  author={Mahmut S. Yardim and L{\"u}tfiye Hilal {\"O}zcebe and Ozgur M. Araz and Sarp Uner and Sheng Li and Hande Konsuk Unlu and Umut Ece Arslan and Nazmi Bilir and Terry T. -K. Huang},
  journal={Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de sante de la Mediterranee orientale = al-Majallah al-sihhiyah li-sharq al-mutawassit},
  year={2019},
  volume={25 6},
  pages={
          374-384
        }
}

• M. Yardim, L. H. Özcebe, +6 authors T. Huang
• Published 19 August 2019
• Medicine
• Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de sante de la Mediterranee orientale = al-Majallah al-sihhiyah li-sharq al-mutawassit

Background
Among low- and middle-income nations, the highest prevalence of child overweight and associated metabolic disorders has been found in Middle Eastern and Eastern European countries. Obesity has been on the rise in Turkey and past research has shown regional variations among adults. However, the prevalence of childhood obesity in different socioeconomic groups in the largest metropolitan areas in the country has not been reported.

Aims
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of child obesity with a population-representative, SES-stratified random sample with objective measures of body mass index (BMI) in the capital city of Turkey.

Methods
Weight status was measured by the WHO growth curve and analyzed by socioeconomic status (SES), sex, and parental factors in a population-representative sample of 2066 parent-child dyads. Chi-square and logistic regression were conducted.

Results
Rates of overweight and obesity were 21.2% and 14.6% (35.8% combined) but significantly higher in high (24.5% and 18.9%) vs. low SES (20.1% and 13.8%) (P = 0.02). Boys were at higher risk for obesity than girls, especially in high vs. low SES (Odds Ratio [OR] = 3.0 [95% CI: 1.4-6.5] vs. 1.7 [95% CI: 1.2-2.5]). Having both parents being overweight or obese increased the risk for obesity, particularly in medium and high SES (OR = 5.8 [95% CI: 2.3-14.1]) and 6.3 (95% CI: 1.5-26.2).

Conclusions
Higher maternal education was a risk factor in low-to-medium but not high SES. In Ankara, child overweight and obesity appears to be 1.5 times more prevalent than national estimates. Higher SES may signify greater exposure to an obesogenic environment and greater obesity risk.