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

Innovative Journal of 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

Innovative Journal of 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 Tajik, Mehrangiz Ebrahimi-Mameghani, Bayanah Seyedamini, Ayyoub Malek, Correlation of Obesity and Overweight with Emotional-Behavioral Problems in Primary School Age Girls in Tabriz, Iran.Inn J Pediatr.2012;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 Internalizing problems (including Anxious/Depressed, Withdrawn, and Somatic Complaints) were seen in 11%, 15%, and 2% and externalizing problems (including Aggressive and Delinquent Behaviors) were observed in 8%, 17%, and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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