Child Obesity in Saudi Arabia
Obesity is one of the riskiest illness as it links other conditions like diabetes, blood pressure, destructive sleeping apnea, and osteoarthritis. As the life expectancy level increases in various nations across the globe, obesity is causing many years of disability in individuals affected with the illness (Memish, Bcheraoui, Tuffaha, Robinson, Daoud, Jaber & Rabeeah, 2014). Therefore, the growing cost of treating the condition and its consequences put pressure on the available resources that are provided by governments and families. In most of the developing countries, embracing the Western culture which is described by minimal physical activities and high intake of calories, has significantly contributed to the increase in the prevalence of the illness (Memish et al., 2014). Notably, obese teenagers and adolescents are likely to be overweight in adulthood, thus, making the disease to be challenging to manage. Similarly, Saudi Arabia is among the several nations that have a high occurrence of obesity and overweight among children due to various causal factors (Alqarni, 2016).
Notably, the occurrence of obesity over the last three decades has significantly increased in various nations across the globe. In the year two thousand and eight, one point five billion adults were considered to be obese with the majority being men followed by women (Alqarni, 2016). Child obesity is similarly on the rise around the world, and it has been considered to be epidemic in individual countries. Significantly, the prevalence of the disease has risen dramatically in teens aged between six to seventeen years in the developing nations (Alqarni, 2016). Moreover, most of the developing states in the Middle East, Western Pacific, Africa, and Latin America have noted a high rate of obesity among kids.
In the period of ninety ninety-eight to two thousand and five, the level of child obesity among adolescents increased significantly in Saudi Arabia. Significantly, the overall occurrence of the disease in school going children ranging from five to eighteen years old was at eleven percent (Alqarni, 2016). Consequently, the prevalence of the condition in female kids between five to twelve years was ten percent and that of male was eight percent (Dhaifallah, Mwanri & Aljoudi, 2015). Similarly, within the age group of thirteen to eighteen years, the level of illness in female was twelve and that of other sex was thirteen percent. As such, majority of the teens and adolescents are diagnosed with chronic sickness that comprises diabetes and high blood pressure.
The continued rise of the disease among different teens has made the condition to be of significant concern to the government since seven out of ten kids in the country are obese (Alqarni, 2016). Significantly, numerous studies have reported a broad range of factors that link obesity with other condition among school-aged teenagers in Saudi Arabia (Dhaifallah, Mwanri & Aljoudi, 2015). The issues are enhanced by different social determinants like sex and lifestyle that involves physical inactivity and poor nutritional behaviors that associates with adverse eating patterns.
Additionally, sedentary ways of life, unhealthy food provided in the learning institutions, lack of education on the importance of fitness in girl schools, and limited sporting activities are considered to be significant elements that play a vital role in enhancing the level of obesity in Saudi Arabia. The discovery of oil in the country transformed most of the socioeconomic status of numerous families as many households could afford the western way of life (Dhaifallah, Mwanri & Aljoudi, 2015). Importantly, the change in the socioeconomic status encouraged laziness since many children are using automobile transport to and from schools, spends a lot of hours in front television screens, and have minimal play in the fields. Nevertheless, economic growth has developed numerous food consumption behaviors and eating patterns (Dhaifallah, Mwanri & Aljoudi, 2015). The regular intake of fat per capita has increased to one hundred and forty-three percent an indicator of increased child obesity in teenagers.
Research Questions
The research solves the following questions that regards prevalence of child obesity in Saudi Arabia.
- What are the causes of child obesity?
- What are the major impacts associated with obesity in children?
- What are the possible preventive techniques of the condition?
Research Thesis
Due to the high level of child obesity in Saudi Arabia, reports show that childhood obesity among kids and school going children has both immediate and future medical effects. Sixty percent of the overweight teens in Saudi Arabia currently are diagnosed with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperinsulinemia conditions (Memish et al., 2014). Additionally, obesity among children has been proved to have a direct association with defects in blood pressure, lipid, and level of insulin in adults. Considerably, the Type 2 diabetes mellitus is significantly connected to the illness in kids (Memish et al., 2014). Notably, impaired glucose maintenance has been reported to be substantial among obese kids and adolescents, hence, the high level of the illness. Therefore, the research help to fill the gap by providing detailed information on the causal factors of the disease, effects, and preventive techniques.
Research Importance
The research on the child obesity is significant to various stakeholders in Saudi Arabia such as the health sector, learning institutions, and households.
Health Sector
The study helps in obtaining relevant information that involves identification of various causes of obesity in children and preventive techniques, hence, will provide thee health sectors with adequate materials for medication of the disease.
Learning Institutions
Schools are considered the second home of many children since they spend most of their time within these premises. As such, the study will be of importance as various feeding programs will be developed to provide healthy diet and sporting activities to help prevent obesity.
Households
Significantly, the investigation will assists families to understand the importance of healthy nutrition and the need for active physical activities among the teens in reducing the prevalence of the illness in the country.
Methodology
The research will involve both primary and secondary sources of information to obtain data for the study. The primary sources will include published literature materials that include books and journals retrieved from the school library and internet media. Additionally, the secondary forms entail surveys that will be done by developing questionnaires that is to be used to interview various individuals concerning their knowledge on child obesity. The interview will include queries that targets a person’s understanding of the causes, impacts, and preventive measures of child obesity and overweight.
Important Definitions
Obesity
It is unusual or unwarranted buildup of fats in the body
Child Obesity
It is a health condition that majorly affects children and teens and it involves buildup of fats in a person that might be injurious to the wellbeing of the body.
Prevalence
It’s the widespread of a disease or a condition in a given area.
References
Al Dhaifallah, A., Mwanri, L., & Aljoudi, A. (2015). Childhood obesity in Saudi Arabia: opportunities and challenges. Saudi Journal of Obesity, 3(1), 2. Retrieved from: http://www.saudijobesity.com/article.asp?issn=2347-2618;year=2015;volume=3;issue=1;spage=2;epage=7;aulast=Al
Alqarni, S. S. M. (2016). A Review of Prevalence of Obesity in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Obesity & Eating Disorders. Retrieved from: http://obesity.imedpub.com/a-review-of-prevalence-of-obesity-in-saudi-arabia.php?aid=17699
Memish, Z. A., El Bcheraoui, C., Tuffaha, M., Robinson, M., Daoud, F., Jaber, S. & Al Rabeeah, A. A. (2014). Peer reviewed: Obesity and associated factors—Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2013. Preventing chronic disease, 11. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4193060/