Sociodemographic Status, Dietary Intake, and Physical Activity in Relation to Body Mass Index Among Female Adolescents in Saudi Arabia

TL;DR

This study explores how factors like diet, physical activity, and school type affect BMI in female adolescents in Saudi Arabia.

Contribution

The study provides insights into the relationship between sociodemographic factors, dietary habits, and BMI in Saudi female adolescents.

Findings

37.4% of participants were overweight or obese.

Students in private schools were more likely to be overweight or obese than those in public schools.

Higher vegetable intake was associated with lower odds of being overweight or obese.

Abstract

Background: Sociodemographic status, dietary intake, and physical activity have been linked to body mass index (BMI) among adolescents. However, there is a scarcity of research investigating these factors in relation to BMI standard deviation score (BMISDS) in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, we examined the roles of sociodemographic status, dietary habits, and physical activity in relation to body mass index among Saudi female adolescents aged 11–18 years attending public and private schools in the city of Jeddah. Methods: This school-based cross-sectional study was performed between February and April 2019 in Jeddah. A total of 920 female adolescent students were recruited from both public and private schools. Data was collected using questionnaires conducted via interview as well as anthropometric measurements. Results: About 37.4% (n = 344) of the participants were overweight or obese. The majority of the participants (61.6%, n = 567) had a healthy dietary intake score. More than half of the participants (52.6%, n = 484) had a low physical activity and screen time score, with 36.5% (n = 336) never engaging in ≥60 min of physical activity per day and 61.4% (n = 565) reporting a daily screen time of >4 h. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that students aged over 16 years were less likely to have overweight/obesity compared to those aged <14 years (adjusted odds ratio “aOR” = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.35–0.79, p = 0.002). Participants enrolled in private schools were at higher risk of being overweight/obese compared to those enrolled in public schools (aOR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.16–2.08, p = 0.003). Adolescent females with daily vegetable intake were less likely than those who never consumed vegetables to be overweight or obese (aOR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.29–0.77, p = 0.002). However, no associations were found with the other sociodemographic, dietary intake, physical activity, and screen time exposure variables. Conclusions: This study shows a trend of elevated obesity prevalence among Saudi female adolescents in Jeddah, highlighting the need for gender-sensitive, school- and community-based interventions targeting diet, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. To obtain a more comprehensive understanding, studies involving nationally representative samples, encompassing all cities across Saudi Arabia and exploring broader aspects of nutrition and physical activity, are essential.