International Journal of Health Sciences

Self-Rated Health in Adolescents with Overweight or Obesity: The Role of Lifestyle and Social Factors
Sanna Tiikkaja, Ylva Tindberg

Abstract
Background: Overweight/obesity is a major public health problem starting early in life. Little is known about less than good self-rated health among adolescents with overweight/obesity. Methods: Cross-sectional data from a school-based survey in Sörmland, Sweden, was used to analyze the association between overweight/obesity (ISO-BMI =25) and less than good self-rated health(N= 3,585)Lifestyle and social vulnerability factors were included in the logistic regression modelling. Results: Overweight/obesity was more common among boys (24%) than girls (15%), while less than good self-rated health was more common among girls (36% versus 19%). Girls with overweight/obesity more often reported less than good self-rated health (aOR1.53[95% CI 1.17–1.99])compared to girls with normal weight.Sleeping less than 6 hours/night or not having a close friend or parent to talk to were individually associated with atwo-fold risk of less than good self-rated health compared to overweight/obese girls not reporting this. No association was found between overweight/obesity and less than good self-rated health among boys. Conclusion: Girls with overweight/obesity are likely to rate their health as less than good. Both unhealthy lifestyle and social vulnerability factors are important to consider in prevention of overweight/obesity among girls.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/ijhs.v8n4a2