Journal of Obesity & Weight Loss Therapy
Open Access

Research Article

Overweight and Obesity among High Level Secondary School Adolescents in Mwanza Tanzania

¹Tanzania Rural Health Movement, Mwanza, Tanzania

²Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Bugando, Mwanza, Tanzania

*Corresponding Author:

Hyasinta Jaka
Department of Internal Medicine-Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit
Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O.Box 1464
Bugando, Mwanza, Tanzania
Tel: +255-28-2500881
E-mail: yasintaliwa5@gmail.com

Received date: April 11, 2016; Accepted date: October 24, 2016; Published date: October 27, 2016

Citation: Hingi M, Ngonyani J, Jaka H (2016) Overweight and Obesity among High Level Secondary School Adolescents in Mwanza Tanzania. J Obes Weight Loss Ther 6:322. doi:10.4172/2165-7904.1000322

Copyright: © 2016 Hingi M, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Background: Overweight and obesity is public health issue which is growing among young generation worldwide. 15-50% of the people living in urban areas in Africa have obesity or overweight, and it is projected that by year 2012, about 75% of people will be in developing countries. Objective: To determine the prevalence and related factors of overweight and obesity among high level secondary school adolescent in Mwanza Tanzania. Methodology: A cross-sectional study conducted among 381 high school adolescents in Nyamagana, Mwanza in October 2014. Obesity and overweight were measured using height and weight of each student. The demographic, social and nutritional history; life style information and pattern of dietary intake were interviewed verbally. Result: The overall prevalence of obesity and overweight were 2.6% and 14.2% respectively. The prevalence of (0.8% overweight, 0% obese) in adolescents those residing out of school campus was lower than overweight (13.4%) and obesity (2.6%) residing in boarding school. The meal frequency, fruits, meat, and vegetables consumption were statistically significant with the p value of P<0.05. Conclusion: adolescent’s obesity and overweight are emerging health problem we need to plan and implement effective preventive strategies to stop this epidemic.

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