Review Article

Overweight and Obesity in Eastern Mediterranean Region: Prevalence and Possible Causes

Table 2

National prevalence of overweight and obesity among school children and adolescents in selected EMR countries.

CountryDate of surveySample sizeSexAge (year)DefinitionOverweight %Obesity %References

Bahrain2006336
396
M
F
15–18
15–18
BMI/age ≥ 85P–<95P/≥95P (NHANES-1)15.8
17.4
13.7
19.4
[23]

Egypt20042969M10–18BMI/age NCHS/CDC11.56.5 [24]
3049F10–1815.27.7

Iran2003-200410.253M6–18IOTF5.41.6 [25]
10.858F6–185.91.3

Kuwait20062657M10–14IOTF29.314.9 [26]
2745F10–1432.114.2
2001–20051630M14–19IOTF18.824.8 [16]
1611F14–1925.320.0

Lebanon1995-96257M10–19BMI/age (NHANES-1)26.97.7 [27]
336F10–1914.72.9

Qatar2003-20041056M6–9IOTF16.33.5 [28]
2690M10–1827.57.1
1084F6–915.52.8
2612F10–1820.03.9

Saudi Arabia20056149M5–12BMI/age > 1SD/>2SD (WHO)19.97.8 [29]
5917F5–1219.211.0
3659M13–1824.813.8
3592F13–1828.412.1

Tunisia20051295M15–19IOTF17.44.1 [30]
1577F15–1920.44.4

UAE20057741M10–19IOTF21.213.2 [31]
7888F10–1921.711.0