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Obesity and Risk of Comorbidity: Prevalence and Associated Factors in Children Aged 6 to 9 Years in Public and Private Schools in Douala-Cameroon

Received: 25 May 2020    Accepted: 10 June 2020    Published: 20 June 2020
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Abstract

Childhood obesity has unhealthy consequences, both in the short and long terms. Recently, a worrying increase in overweight and obesity in Sub-Saharan African children was reported. This study aims to determine the prevalence of obesity/overweight in public and private schools in children aged 6-9 years in the city of Douala, and identify the risk factors associated with obesity and comorbidities in this population. Parental health status; children’s birth weight, breastfeeding duration, physical activity and settles way of life data were collected using a questionnaire, and correlated to obesity and related comorbidities indexes: waist circumference (WC), Waist to Height Ratio (WtHR) and body mass index (BMI). Obesity (9%) and overweight (6.1%) were found in children, mostly in private than in public schools (13.82% versus 4.4% and 10.53% versus 1.9%; P<0.0001 respectively). Parents overweight and diabetes histories, birth weight (˃4 kg), breastfeeding duration (≤6 months), having less than 6 breakfasts a week, watching television more than 2hr/day, sleeping less than 10h/day and physical inactivity at school and home were significantly associated with obesity and related comorbidities in children (p<0.05 respectively). Overweight and obesity are a reality in these children, especially in those going to the private schools. Most of the factors associated are related to parents’ and children’s health history, but also to children’s lifestyles that can be changed at home and at school.

Published in Central African Journal of Public Health (Volume 6, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.cajph.20200604.12
Page(s) 192-199
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Obesity, Overweight, Childhood, School, Risk of Comorbidity, Birth Weight, Breastfeeding Duration, Skipping Breakfast, Sedentary Behaviours

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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Ayina Ayina Clarisse Noel, Assomo Ndemba Peguy Brice, Mekoulou Ndongo Jerson, Bilog Nadine Carole, Ahmadou, et al. (2020). Obesity and Risk of Comorbidity: Prevalence and Associated Factors in Children Aged 6 to 9 Years in Public and Private Schools in Douala-Cameroon. Central African Journal of Public Health, 6(4), 192-199. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20200604.12

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    ACS Style

    Ayina Ayina Clarisse Noel; Assomo Ndemba Peguy Brice; Mekoulou Ndongo Jerson; Bilog Nadine Carole; Ahmadou, et al. Obesity and Risk of Comorbidity: Prevalence and Associated Factors in Children Aged 6 to 9 Years in Public and Private Schools in Douala-Cameroon. Cent. Afr. J. Public Health 2020, 6(4), 192-199. doi: 10.11648/j.cajph.20200604.12

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    AMA Style

    Ayina Ayina Clarisse Noel, Assomo Ndemba Peguy Brice, Mekoulou Ndongo Jerson, Bilog Nadine Carole, Ahmadou, et al. Obesity and Risk of Comorbidity: Prevalence and Associated Factors in Children Aged 6 to 9 Years in Public and Private Schools in Douala-Cameroon. Cent Afr J Public Health. 2020;6(4):192-199. doi: 10.11648/j.cajph.20200604.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.cajph.20200604.12,
      author = {Ayina Ayina Clarisse Noel and Assomo Ndemba Peguy Brice and Mekoulou Ndongo Jerson and Bilog Nadine Carole and Ahmadou and Bindi Ngasse Josiane Gertrude and Etaga Noel Babayana and Temfemo Abdou and Mbanya Jean Claude and Sobngwi Eugène and Mandengue Samuel Honoré and Etoundi Ngoa Laurent Serge},
      title = {Obesity and Risk of Comorbidity: Prevalence and Associated Factors in Children Aged 6 to 9 Years in Public and Private Schools in Douala-Cameroon},
      journal = {Central African Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {6},
      number = {4},
      pages = {192-199},
      doi = {10.11648/j.cajph.20200604.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20200604.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cajph.20200604.12},
      abstract = {Childhood obesity has unhealthy consequences, both in the short and long terms. Recently, a worrying increase in overweight and obesity in Sub-Saharan African children was reported. This study aims to determine the prevalence of obesity/overweight in public and private schools in children aged 6-9 years in the city of Douala, and identify the risk factors associated with obesity and comorbidities in this population. Parental health status; children’s birth weight, breastfeeding duration, physical activity and settles way of life data were collected using a questionnaire, and correlated to obesity and related comorbidities indexes: waist circumference (WC), Waist to Height Ratio (WtHR) and body mass index (BMI). Obesity (9%) and overweight (6.1%) were found in children, mostly in private than in public schools (13.82% versus 4.4% and 10.53% versus 1.9%; P<0.0001 respectively). Parents overweight and diabetes histories, birth weight (˃4 kg), breastfeeding duration (≤6 months), having less than 6 breakfasts a week, watching television more than 2hr/day, sleeping less than 10h/day and physical inactivity at school and home were significantly associated with obesity and related comorbidities in children (p<0.05 respectively). Overweight and obesity are a reality in these children, especially in those going to the private schools. Most of the factors associated are related to parents’ and children’s health history, but also to children’s lifestyles that can be changed at home and at school.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Obesity and Risk of Comorbidity: Prevalence and Associated Factors in Children Aged 6 to 9 Years in Public and Private Schools in Douala-Cameroon
    AU  - Ayina Ayina Clarisse Noel
    AU  - Assomo Ndemba Peguy Brice
    AU  - Mekoulou Ndongo Jerson
    AU  - Bilog Nadine Carole
    AU  - Ahmadou
    AU  - Bindi Ngasse Josiane Gertrude
    AU  - Etaga Noel Babayana
    AU  - Temfemo Abdou
    AU  - Mbanya Jean Claude
    AU  - Sobngwi Eugène
    AU  - Mandengue Samuel Honoré
    AU  - Etoundi Ngoa Laurent Serge
    Y1  - 2020/06/20
    PY  - 2020
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20200604.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.cajph.20200604.12
    T2  - Central African Journal of Public Health
    JF  - Central African Journal of Public Health
    JO  - Central African Journal of Public Health
    SP  - 192
    EP  - 199
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-5781
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20200604.12
    AB  - Childhood obesity has unhealthy consequences, both in the short and long terms. Recently, a worrying increase in overweight and obesity in Sub-Saharan African children was reported. This study aims to determine the prevalence of obesity/overweight in public and private schools in children aged 6-9 years in the city of Douala, and identify the risk factors associated with obesity and comorbidities in this population. Parental health status; children’s birth weight, breastfeeding duration, physical activity and settles way of life data were collected using a questionnaire, and correlated to obesity and related comorbidities indexes: waist circumference (WC), Waist to Height Ratio (WtHR) and body mass index (BMI). Obesity (9%) and overweight (6.1%) were found in children, mostly in private than in public schools (13.82% versus 4.4% and 10.53% versus 1.9%; P<0.0001 respectively). Parents overweight and diabetes histories, birth weight (˃4 kg), breastfeeding duration (≤6 months), having less than 6 breakfasts a week, watching television more than 2hr/day, sleeping less than 10h/day and physical inactivity at school and home were significantly associated with obesity and related comorbidities in children (p<0.05 respectively). Overweight and obesity are a reality in these children, especially in those going to the private schools. Most of the factors associated are related to parents’ and children’s health history, but also to children’s lifestyles that can be changed at home and at school.
    VL  - 6
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Animal and Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroun; Exercise and Sport Physiology Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

  • Exercise and Sport Physiology Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Department of Animal and Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroun; Exercise and Sport Physiology Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

  • Exercise and Sport Physiology Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

  • Department of Animal and Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroun

  • Exercise and Sport Physiology Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

  • Exercise and Sport Physiology Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

  • Exercise and Sport Physiology Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

  • Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon

  • Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon

  • Department of Animal and Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroun; Exercise and Sport Physiology Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

  • Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon; Department of Animal Science, Higher Teacher’s Training College, University of Yaoundé I, Yaounde, Cameroon

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