Correlation of Obesity and Overweight with Emotional-Behavioral Problems in Primary School Age Girls in Tabriz, Iran

Ali Tajik; Mehrangiz Ebrahimi-Mameghani; Bayanah Seyedamini; Ayyoub Malek

IJ Pediatrics

The Scientific Journal of Growth & Development Research Center

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Correlation of Obesity and Overweight with Emotional-Behavioral Problems in Primary School Age Girls in Tabriz, Iran

Author(s):

Ali Tajik¹,

Mehrangiz Ebrahimi-Mameghani²,

Bayanah Seyedamini³,

Ayyoub Malek^4,*

1Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health & Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

3Department of Nursing, Islamic Azad University, Mahabad branch, Mahabad, Iran

4Department of Psychiatry, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

IJ Pediatrics:Vol. 22, issue 1; 15-22

Published online:Mar 31, 2012

Article type:Research Article

Received:Nov 01, 2010

Accepted:Nov 01, 2011

How to Cite:Ali TajikMehrangiz Ebrahimi-MameghaniBayanah SeyedaminiAyyoub MalekCorrelation of Obesity and Overweight with Emotional-Behavioral Problems in Primary School Age Girls in Tabriz, Iran.Iran J Pediatr.22(1):15-22.

Abstract

Objective: Obesity and overweight have shown an increasing trend in most developing countries. Childhood obesity would impose numerous health-related problems. This study was conducted to determine the correlation of obesity and overweight with emotional-behavioral problems in primary school age girls.
Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 300 primary school girls (aged 7-11 years) were selected using a multi-staged sampling method, including randomized cluster and stratified method. For all students body mass index was measured and then based on BMI for age and sex, from each grade (1-5), 20 students were selected for each group of normal weight, overweight and obese. The emotional-behavioral problems were evaluated using child behavior checklist that consists of 113 items for childhood behavioral problems.
Findings: Total behavioral problems were seen in 17%, 27%, and 2% in obese, overweight, and normal weight children, respectively. Internalizing problems (including Anxious/Depressed, Withdrawn, and Somatic Complaints) were seen in 11%, 15%, and 2% and externalizing problems (including Aggressive and Delinquent Behaviors) were observed in 8%, 17%, and 2% in obese, overweight, and normal weight children, respectively. The mean scores in all scales were higher in obese and overweight children in comparison with normal weight children and the emotional-behavioral problems had significant positive correlation with obesity and overweight (P<0.01).
Conclusion: Despite the cultural differences between east and west, yet there are similarities in the most of the emotional-behavioral problems related to overweight and obesity. Also, it seems that the risk of behavioral-emotional problems in overweight girls is more than in obese girls. Overweight and Obesity prevention may be a primary preventive step for these problems in children.

Keywords

Child Behavior Checklist

Obesity

Overweight

Psychological Factors

Behavior

Children

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