Prevalence of Obesity and the Predisposing Factors among Preschool Children in Mansoura City

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 B.SC.N- Faculty of Nursing- Mansoura University

2 Assistant Prof. of Community Health Nursing- Faculty of Nursing- Zagazig University

3 Assistant Prof. of Pediatric Medicine- Faculty of Medicine- Mansoura University

Abstract

Background: Obesity is widely recognized as a major health problem of the 20th century. It is
defined as a state of imbalance between calories ingested versus calories expended which
would lead to excessive or abnormal fat accumulation. The study aimed at health
promotion of preschooler children's. A descriptive design was used to accomplish the aim
of this study. The study was conducted at six nursery schools at Mansoura City. The sample
consisted of 200 children and their mothers selected from nursery schools at Mansoura City.
The tools used for data collection were assessment questionnaire sheet for the child personal
data and anthropometric measurement, and interview questionnaire for mothers' nutritional
knowledge and habits. The results of the present study revealed that the prevalence of
overweight and obesity was about one third of the studied sample; there was a statistically
significant relation between mother’s knowledge, habits and occurrence of child obesity as
well as there was a statistically significant relation between mother’s knowledge and
mother’s habits. The study concluded that obesity constitutes one third of studied sample
and there was a relationship between mother’s knowledge, nutritional habits and the
occurrence of obesity. The study recommended that health educational programs should be
directed to caregivers including predisposing factors of obesity and healthy eating habits.

Keywords