Abstract
Adolescence is a period of gradual transition from childhood to adulthood. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of being overweight and to study the impact of environmental factors in Morocco in a sample of 190 schoolchildren aged 12–16 years from five schools in the Kenitra urban area. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were made. Two groups were distinguished through the use of a test of food quality. Anthropometric information revealed that the prevalence of being overweight in the sample was 9.7%. This study also revealed that blood pressure increased with body mass index (r² = 0.41 for systolic and r² = 0.37 for diastolic blood pressure). Statistical analyses suggested that adolescents’ eating behavior was influenced by educational level and father’s working status, income of households, as well as language spoken at home (odds ratio = 3.62, 2.55, 2.63 and 2.51, respectively; CI = [1.81–7.19], [1.24–5.24], [1.39–4.97], [1.2–5.28]). To correct these eating dysfunctions, a nutritional education strategy during early adolescence seems essential. This strategy will stress the spontaneous consumption of green vegetables and fresh fruits, which cannot be carried out without the implication of the family environment.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Stoltzfus RJ (2001) Nutrition et croissance: la croissance des enfants d’âge scolaire. Nestlé Nutrition Workshop Séries Pediatric. Program 47:34–36
Paulus D, Saint-Rémy A, Jeanjean M (2002) Dietary habits during adolescence: results of the Belgian Adolux Study. Eur J Clin Nutr 55(2):130–136
Mokhtar N, Elati J, Chabir R, Bour A, Elkari K, Schlossman NP, Caballero B, Aguenaou H (2001) Diet culture and obesity in northern Africa. J Nutr 131(3):887S–892S
Serra-Majem LI, Ribas L, Garcia A, Perez-Rodrigo C, Arenceta J (2003) Nutrient adequacy and Mediterranean diet in Spanish school children and adolescents. Eur J Clin Nutr 57(1):S35–S39
Centre Régional d’Investissement (2004) Région Gharb Beni Hssen, terre d’investissement. Kenitra. Centre Régional d’Investissement, p 84
Ministère de la Prévision Economique et du Plan (2001) Enquête Nationale sur le niveau de vie des ménages, 1998/1999. Direction de la statistique. Premiers résultats
Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (2003) Obésité: Prévention et prise en charge de l’épidémie mondiale. Série de rapports techniques, (894) Genève
Feur E, Michaud C, Boucher J, Gerbouin-Rerolle P, Leynaud-Rouaud C, Chateil S, Gourdon M, Ledésert B (2003) Obésité des adolescents dans trois departments français: mode de vie, précarité et restauration scolaire. Bulletin Epidemiologique Hebdomadaire 18–19:85–87
Cambien F, Chretien JM, Ducimetiere P (1985) Is the relationship between blood pressure and cardiovascular risk dependent on body mass index? Am J Epidemiol 122:434–442
Montero P (2006) Indicateurs de qualité de l’alimentation chez les enfants: l’indice KIDMED. Anthrop 11:189–197
Monge-Rojas R, Garita C, Sanchez M, Munoz L (2005) Barriers to and motivators for healthful eating as perceived by rural and urban Costa Rican adolescents. J Nutr Educ Behav 37(1):33–40
Hanson NI, Neumark-Sztainer D, Eisenberg ME, Story M, Wall M (2005) Associations between parental report of the home food environment and adolescent intakes of fruits, vegetables and dairy foods. Public Health Nutr 8(1):77–85
Pelicand J, Doumant D (2005) Quelles sont les représentations de l’alimentation et de l’obésité chez les parents et les enfants? Implications et influences dans les stratégies éducatives. Université Catholique de Louvain. Service communautaire de promotion de la santé. Dossier technique 05–36:3–15
Monge-Rojas R, Nunez HP, Garita C, Chen-Mok M (2002) Psychosocial aspects of Costa Rican adolescents’ eating and physical activity patterns. J Adolesc Health 31(2):212–219
Aboussaleh Y, Ahami AOT, Elhioui M, Boukhari A, Azzaoui FZ (2004) Etat nutritionnel staturo- pondéral des préadolescents scolaires dans la ville et région de Kenitra au Maroc. Médecine du Maghreb 145:21–29
Story M, Neumark-Sztainer D, French S (2002) Individual and environmental influences on adolescent eating behaviors. J Am Diet Assoc 102(3 Suppl):S40–S51
Soualem A, Ahami AOT, Aboussaleh Y (2006) L’obésité chez les adultes albanais de l’ex Yougoslavie et facteurs associés. Antropo 12:35–41
Acknowledgments
The study was supported by Protars III, D63/01.
Conflict of interest
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Soualem, A., Ahami, A.O.T., Aboussaleh, Y. et al. Eating behavior of young adolescents in urban area in northwestern Morocco. Mediterr J Nutr Metab 5, 157–161 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12349-012-0089-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12349-012-0089-8