Lifestyle Factors Associated With Childhood Obesity in South Asian Expatriates of Dubai: A Cross-Sectional Study
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background Obesity, a chronic disease caused by excessive fat deposits, increases the risk of various health conditions. Childhood obesity is a growing global concern, affecting millions of children. There is a paucity of research on the determinants of childhood obesity in the expatriate population of Dubai. This study aimed to explore modifiable key lifestyle factors contributing to childhood obesity in Dubai's South Asian expatriates. Methodology Based on prior research, we decided to evaluate the role of three most commonly associated lifestyle factors: physical activity, fast food consumption, and daily screen time. The hypothesis was that higher screen time and fast food intake would positively correlate with body mass index (BMI), while physical activity would show a negative correlation. The study applied a non-probability convenience sampling method and included 208 South Asian children aged 5-17 who visited a Dubai clinic between January and March 2024 and who did not have any serious physical or mental health illness requiring long-term medication or any genetic disorder. Results Results showed that one-third of the children had a BMI of ≥85 percentile with no significant gender differences. Age was positively correlated with BMI percentile. Higher daily screen time is significantly associated with a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), and World Health Organization (WHO) classifications. The frequent intake of fast food is associated with a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity only as per the IOTF classification. Physical activity, however, was not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion We concluded that children who have a BMI of ≥85 percentile tend to have significantly higher daily screen time. The association between frequent fast food consumption and higher BMI was significant only under the IOTF criteria. Larger multicentric studies are needed to further validate these associations and to look for causal relationships. Nevertheless, this study underscores modifiable risk factors for childhood obesity, suggesting that small lifestyle changes could mitigate this epidemic.
Source: Cureus
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.74924
Authors: Spriha Pandey, Meenu Agarwal
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4404892699