The Emerging Nutritional Problems of School Adolescents: Overweight/Obesity and Associated Factors in Jimma Town, Ethiopia

Background: Globally, overweight is rapidly becoming one of the most important medical and public health problems. Adolescent obesity is a multisystem disease with potentially devastating consequences that persist into adulthood. However, there is a paucity of available information regarding the adolescent overweight and obesity in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area.

Methods: A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April/2015 among 546 adolescents. Study participants were selected using a multi-stage, stratified random sampling method. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of overweight and obesity at 95% confidence intervals.

Results: The mean dietary diversity score of school adolescents was 6.97±1.15. Cereal based diets (99.6%) and vegetables (73.9%) are the two common foods of adolescents. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 13.3%. Overweight/Obesity was significantly associated with being a female (AOR=3.57 [95% CI:1.28-9.9]), attending private schools (AOR=7.53 [2.51-22.3]), lack of paternal education (AOR=5.57 [95% CI:1.53-20.26]), wealthy households (AOR=3 [95% CI:1.09-8.26]) and not being a vegetarian (AOR=9.23 [95% CI:1.68-50.8]). Adolescents who are physically inactive (AOR=3.7 [95% CI:1.06-13.02]) and those with sedentary lifestyles (AOR=3.64 [95% CI:1.39-9.5]) were more obese compared to their counter peers.

Conclusions: The proportion of overweight/obesity among school adolescent was considerably high. Being a female, learning in private school, high household economic status, not being a vegetarian and having a sedentary life were significantly associated with overweight/obesity.

Practice Implications: Findings of this study can be used to guide the development of programs aimed at preventing overweight/obesity in Ethiopia by informing policymakers and other stakeholders about this emerging nutrition-related problem among school adolescents.