Prevalence and Associated Factors of Overweight and/or Obesity among Primary School Children in Bole Sub-City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Overweight and/or obesity impose unacceptably high health problem and economic and social costs on countries at all income levels. Reports show that the disability adjusted life year due to overweight and obesity per 1000 population in the year 2010 in the world was 25. In Ethiopia, at regional level, the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity was observed in the Addis Ababa region. Objectives: To assess the Prevalence rate and associated factors of overweight and/or obesity among primary school children in Bole Sub-City Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2014. Methods: An institution based cross sectional study, including a sample of 845 children using multi stage sampling techniques was conducted. Body mass index was used for determining nutritional status. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression analyses was employed. Result: The overall Prevalence rate of overweight and/or obesity among children in primary schools of the Bole Sub-City was 9.8%. Age below 12 years (AOR:0.55, 95% CI=0.33-0.99) medium monthly income (AOR:0.20, 95% CI:0.04-0.86), ownership of private car for transportation (AOR:1.84, 95% CI:1.10-3.06), single day use of soft drink per week (AOR:0.35, 95% CI:0.16-0.73), Eating while television watching (AOR: 2.33, 95% CI:1.40-3.89), family preference of feeding fat and fried foods (AOR:2.64, 95% CI:1.38-5.02) and family preference of child sedentary life style (AOR:1.98, 95% CI:1.03-3.77) were a statically significant associated with overweight and/or obesity (p<0.05). Conclusion: The Prevalence rate of overweight and/or obesity was high among children in primary schools at Bole sub city. The age of the child, medium monthly income, ownership of private car for transportation, single day use of soft drink per week, eating while watching television (TV) or film, family Preferences of feeding fat and fried foods and sedentary life of the child were the predictors. Therefore interventions need to focus on attitudinal and behavioral change to towards child feeding and should target mainly families.