Risk factors of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence in Pakistan, a systematic review

Abstract

Background and introduction: In Pakistan, childhood obesity is becoming a more severe community health concern with long-term implications. This systematic review helps in assessing the risk factors of overweight and obesity in Pakistani children and adolescents. Materials and methods: A systematic literature review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. All major and relevant databases were searched including PubMed, Science Direct, Embase, and PakMedinet to find primary articles on overweight and obesity in Pakistan. Eleven studies were selected for final review after being subjected to the extensive selection criteria. PROSPERO registration No. CRD42023457179. Results: In adolescents and children, the prevalence of obesity ranged from 5 to 15.2%, whereas the prevalence of overweight varied from 0.5 to 23%. We found several risk factors for overweight and obesity in Pakistan. These include the habit of excessively watching television (TV) and computer; lack of general physical activity; inadequate participation in outdoor games; significant family history of obesity; poor and unmonitored eating habits like eating junk food and a high-calorie diet; overconsumption of mixed vegetables and green diet along with continuous high caloric food intake as a misguided remedy for weight loss instead of its use as a replacement of high caloric diet. Besides these, socioeconomic status was reported to be one of the significant factors linked to overweight and obesity in children and adolescents in Pakistan. Conclusion: The results call attention to the requirement of focused interventions to address these risk factors and avert the onset of overweight and obesity in Pakistan. More detailed research is required to comprehend the intricate interplay of causes causing childhood obesity in Pakistan.