Study the factors associated with overweight and obese in early adolescent girls in urban and rural environment

Obesity is a complex problem resulting from an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure with genetic, metabolic and behavioral components. Obesity is defined as an excessive fat accumulation in the body that presents a risk to health. The present work was designed to study the prevalence of overweight/obesity in early adolescents' girls, aged 10 to 12 years, from rural and urban regions and the risk factors related to obesity as eating habits, and physical activities. The sample was 100 adolescents girls, aged between 10 to 12 years from rural and urban environments. The used questionnaires included eating habits and physical activity, focusing on the number of daily meals, meal composition, and lifestyle habits. An anthropometric assessment was performed, including weight, height, waist circumference, percentage of lean mass and body fat (BF).In the rural environment, the obesity rate was 10% either overweight or obese; being less than the urban environment. Living in a rural environment was not an independent predictor of being overweight or obesity, p < /em> = 0.456, or for increased percentage of body fat, p < /em> = 0.285. In contrast, being 12 years old, eating high-calorie foods four times a week or less, and having at least one obese parent were predictors of being overweight or obesity. Being 12 years old was also a predictor of gaining moderate to high body fat. Adolescents’ residence in a rural or urban environment affects the occurrence of being overweight, obesity or high body fat. Paternal obesity was an important predictor of obesity in adolescents. Obese fathers tended to serve higher calorie meals to their adolescents.