ArticleInternational journal of pediatrics & adolescent medicine2021
Underweight, body image, and weight loss measures among adolescents in Saudi Arabia: is it a fad or is there more going on?
Article in International journal of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed.
- Are teenagers in Kenya physically active? The nexus between physical activity and nutrition status of Kenyan teenagers: A cross-sectional study.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Recommendations for research and social work interventions on disordered eating among adolescents.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2025Article
- Article
- Body weight modification experience among adolescents from Saudi Arabia.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
- Article
- Change in Growth Status and Obesity Rates among Saudi Children and Adolescents Is Partially Attributed to Discrepancies in Definitions Used: A Review of Anthropometric Measurements.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Body Mass Index Profile and Its Association with Social Determinants Among Adolescents from Jazan, Saudi Arabia.International journal of general medicine · 2023Article
- Weight changes and the incidence of depressive symptom in the middle-aged and older adults: findings from the Chinese nationwide cohort study.BMC public health · 2022Article
- Correlation between BMI and Oral Health Status (DMFT, PI, mSBI, and Salivary 1,5-AG) among the Pediatric Population in Saudi Arabia: A Clinico-Biochemical Study.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
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3 authors.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectiveAdolescence is considered to be a pivotal point in which optimum nutrition and eating habits are developed. Although tackling the obesity epidemic has been much discussed, addressing the issue of underweight and body image is often neglected. This study was carried out to get a better understanding of underweight status among adolescents in Saudi Arabia, and exploring self-perceptions of body image and weight loss measures among underweight adolescents.
methodsData from Jeeluna®, a national cross-sectional school-based survey were utilized. Jeeluna® assessed the health status and health-risk behaviors of adolescents in school through data obtained by a self-administered questionnaire, anthropologic measurements, and laboratory investigations.
resultsA total of 12,463 adolescents participated. Eighteen percent of adolescent males and 12.4% of females were found to be underweight, representing 14.9% of adolescents collectively. Forty-five percent of underweight participants were happy with their weight. Underweight females between the age group of 10 and 14 years were the most likely to believe that they still need to lose weight (16.0%) followed by females aged 15-19 years (9.7%). Underweight females aged 10-14 years were also the group most likely to engage in purging (1.6%). Stepwise logistic regression found that the strongest association with being underweight was with having a lower household income (OR 2.0, CI 1.5-2.7) and having more than 5 siblings (OR 1.8, CI 1.5-2.3).
conclusionUnderweight status is prevalent among adolescents in Saudi Arabia and deserves more attention as a public health issue. Distorted body image and disordered eating behaviors exist, necessitating further investigation of underlying causes.
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