Prevalence and risk factors of obesity among senior high school students in the Adansi North district of Ghana

Authors

  • Isaac Amoh Department of Health Promotion and Education, School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi- Ghana
  • Emmanuel Appiah-Brempong Department of Health Promotion and Education, School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi- Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20174247

Keywords:

Obesity, Prevalence, Risk factors, Adolescents

Abstract

Background: Obesity is one of today's noticeable yet neglected public health problem with serious health consequences such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes that affect individuals of all ages globally. Adolescents are particularly prone to obesity owing to their reduction in physical activity. This study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of obesity among Senior High School Students in the Adansi North District of Ghana.

Methods: A descriptive cross- sectional survey was conducted among 306 adolescents aged 12- 19 years. The adolescents were recruited from the five senior high schools in the district using stratified random sampling technique. Data was collected by the use of structured questionnaire and anthropometric data sheet to calculate for BMI levels. STATA version 11.1, and Microsoft Excel was used to analyze the data collected.

Results: Results from the chi-square test indicated that, there was a significant relationship between leisure activities and obesity such as playing computer games (x2=7.5086, df=9, p<0.05), and TV watching (x2=6.3576, df=2, p<0.05). A significant relationship was between food consumption pattern and obesity (x2=21.6181, df=9, p<0.05). Overall prevalence of obesity among the adolescents was found to be 47.06%.

Conclusions: The study concludes that, the prevalence of obesity among the adolescents in the district is quite high compared to rates in some developed countries. There is the need to plan for the most efficient and effective interventions not only to ensure food security, but also maintain healthy lifestyles, so as to reduce the prevalence of obesity among the adolescents in the district and in Ghana as a whole. 

 

Author Biography

Isaac Amoh, Department of Health Promotion and Education, School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi- Ghana

School of Public Health

References

WHO. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. World Health Organization; 2009.

Callaway LK, O'Callaghan M, David McIntyre H. Obesity and the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Hypertension Pregnancy. 2009;28(4):473-93.

WHO. Overweight and Obesity Fact sheet N311, 2006.

WHO. Global status report on non- communicable diseases 2010, 2011.

Kamadjeu RM, Edwards R, Atanga JS, Kiawi EC, Unwin N, Mbanya J-C. Anthropometry measures and prevalence of obesity in the urban adult population of Cameroon: an update from the Cameroon Burden of Diabetes Baseline Survey. BMC Public Health. 2006;6(1):228.

Caballero B. The global epidemic of obesity: an overview. Epidemiologic Reviews. 2007;29(1):1-5.

Prentice AM. The emerging epidemic of obesity in developing countries. Intern J Epidemiol. 2006;35(1):93-9.

Agyei-Mensah S, Aikins Ad-G. Epidemiological transition and the double burden of disease in Accra, Ghana. J Urban Health. 2010;87(5):879-97.

Ogunjimi L, Ikorok MM, Olayinka Y. Prevalence of obesity among Nigeria nurses: the Akwa Ibom State experience. Int NGO J. 2010;5(2):45-9.

Dake FA, Tawiah EO, Badasu DM. Sociodemographic correlates of obesity among Ghanaian women. Public Health Nutrition. 2011;14(07):1285-91.

Ziraba AK, Fotso JC, Ochako R. Overweight and obesity in urban Africa: A problem of the rich or the poor? BMC Public Health. 2009;9(1):465.

IOTF. International obesity Task Force Data. Based on population weight estimates from published and unpublished survey. (1990-2002). London. 2002: 14-17.

Cole T, Paul A, Whitehead R. Weight reference charts for British long‐term breastfed infants. Acta Paediatrica. 2002;91(12):1296-300.

Akinkugbe O, Oladipo O. Epidemiology of cardiovascular disease in developing countries. J Hypert, Int J Epidemiol. 1990;8:5233-8.

WHO. Global action plan for the prevention and control of non-communicable dieseases. Available at: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/94384/ 1/9789241506236 eng.pdf? au=1. 2013a. Accessed on 5 July 2015.

Holdsworth M, Gartner A, Landais E, Maire B, Delpeuch F. Perceptions of healthy and desirable body size in urban Senegalese women. Int J Obesity. 2004;28(12):1561-8.

Renzaho AM, McCabe M, Swinburn B. Intergenerational differences in food, physical activity, and body size perceptions among African migrants. Qualitative Health Res. 2012;22(6):740-54.

Puoane T, Tsolekile L, Steyn N. Perceptions about body image and sizes among black African girls living in Cape Town, 2010.

Shaibu S, Holsten JE, Stettler N, et al. Adolescent Obesity Prevention in Botswana Beliefs and Recommendations of School Personnel. J School Nursing. 2012;28(3):220-9.

Amoah AG. Sociodemographic variations in obesity among Ghanaian adults. Public Health Nutr. 2003;6(08):751-7.

Kruger HS, Puoane T, Senekal M, Van der Merwe M. Obesity in South Africa: challenges for government and health professionals. Public Health Nutr. 2005;8(05):491-500.

Aikins AdG. Reframing applied disease stigma research: a multilevel analysis of diabetes stigma in Ghana. J Community Applied Social Psychol. 2006;16(6):426-41.

Amoah A. Obesity in adult residents of Accra, Ghana. Ethnicity Disease. 2003;13(2):97-101.

Bryman A. Social research methods. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Creswell JW. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications; 2013.

Mugenda OM. Research methods: Quantitative and qualitative approaches. African Centre for Technology Studies; 1999.

Thomas JR, Helson JK, Silverman SJ. Research methods in physical Activity. (5th Ed) Champain In: Human Kinetics. 2005: 220-230.

Muhihi AJ, Njelekela MA, Mpembeni R, Mwiru RS, Mligiliche N, Mtabaji J. Obesity, overweight, and perceptions about body weight among middle-aged adults in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. ISRN Obesity. 2012;2012:368520.

WHO. Obesity: Preventing and managing the global epidemic, Report of WHO Consultation Technical Report Series No. 894. WHO; Geneva 2000.

Abachinga C. The Prevalence of Obesity in School Going Children in Achimota-Legon area. Legon: University of Ghana. 2001.

Amegah A, Lumor S, Vidogo F. Prevalence and determinants of overweight and obesity in adult residents of Cape Coast, Ghana: A hospital-based study. African J Food Agriculture Nutrition Development. 2011;11(3).

Mogre V, Mwinlenaa P, Oladele J, Amalba A. Impact of physical activity levels and diet on central obesity among civil servants in Tamale metropolis. J Med Biomed Sci. 2012;1(2):1-9.

Ntui E. Aerobic and prolonged intensive studies for students of secondary and tertiary institutions. Calabar: University of Calabar Press; 2000.

Murray CJ, Vos T, Lozano R, Naghavi M, Flaxman AD, Michaud C, et al. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 291 diseases and injuries in 21 regions, 1990–2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet. 2013;380(9859):2197-223.

Wabitsch M. Molecular and biological factors with emphasis on adipose tissue development. Child and Adolescent Obesity. Causes and Consequences. 2002: 50-68.

Popkin BM. The nutrition transition and its health implications in lower-income countries. Public Health Nutr. 1998;1(01):5-21.

Prentice AM, Jebb SA. Fast foods, energy density and obesity: a possible mechanistic link. Obesity Rev. 2003;4(4):187-94.

Gibson RS. Principles of nutritional assessment. Oxford university press, USA; 2005.

Bertone ER, Staneck Es, Cohen NL. Association between eating patterns and obesity in a free living US adult population. Am J Epidemiol. 2003:158:185-92.

WHO. Physical activity and young people.

Available at: http://www.who.int/dietphysical-activity/physical-activity-recommendations-5-17years.pdf? ua=1 2011c. Accessed on 15 October 2015.

Downloads

Published

2017-09-22

How to Cite

Amoh, I., & Appiah-Brempong, E. (2017). Prevalence and risk factors of obesity among senior high school students in the Adansi North district of Ghana. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 4(10), 3762–3769. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20174247

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles