Factors Associated with Overweight and Obesity among Kuwaiti Elementary Male School Children Aged 6–10 Years

Abstract

Background . Childhood obesity is becoming a global epidemic which may result in increased morbidity and mortality during young adulthood. Objectives . To identify factors associated with overweight and that of obesity among Kuwaiti elementary male school children aged 6–10 years. Methods . Weights and heights of 662 students at a randomly selected school were collected to obtain body mass index (BMI). Results . The prevalence of overweight and obesity among the students were 20.2% and 16.8%, respectively. There were a variety of factors associated with overweight and obesity; however, having one or more obese brother, an unemployed father, or a high (>11) number of persons living at home was significantly associated with higher risk of overweight and obesity. Increased age and school level as well as having a chronic disease were associated with the risk of overweight. Conclusion . Health education programs for families should be implemented to help control overweight and obesity in Kuwaiti children.