ABSTRACT

Objective:

Childhood obesity has recently become a common health problem worldwide. In the struggle against obesity, studies have focused on the risk factors playing a role in the development of obesity. In this study, we assessed the risk factors playing a role in childhood obesity and the resulting obesity in the İstanbul Bağcılar Region.

Methods:

In total, 250 obese children, aged 4-15 years, and 98 non-obese children of the same age were included in this study. A standardized questionnaire aimed at determining the sociodemographic characteristics, television-watching schedule, nutritional habits, physical activity, presence of obesity in the family, and duration of breastfeeding was provided to the study and control groups. Glucose, insulin, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglyceride levels were measured in fasting serum samples. Homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values were calculated.

Results:

The mean age of the study group was 10.71±2.69 years; there were 112 (44.80%) males and 138 (55.20%) females. The pubertal period (p=0.0001), the presence of obese individuals in the family (p=0.021), and watching television for more than 3 h per day (p=0.0001) were found to be risk factors for childhood obesity. Increased HOMA-IR (p=0.0001), increased fasting insulin (p=0.003), and decreased HDL (p=0.037) levels were the most influential parameters in obesity.

Conclusion:

Childhood obesity can lead to serious health problems by affecting obesity in adulthood. To initially prevent obesity requires a full understanding of the risk factors and biological and social pathways leading to obesity in early life.