DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i06.072

Pages: 2439-2451

Rapid social and economic changes as a result of industrialization, urbanization, economic development and market globalization, have led to adverse changes in diet, weight, health and nutritional status of the adolescent population, particularly in developing countries. It is therefore, necessary to monitor prevalence rates and trends in under-nutrition and over-nutrition among adolescents. The main objectives were to assess the association of socioeconomic status (SES) and physical activity level in terms of frequency and duration on underweight, overweight and obesity prevalence among Benghazi’s adolescents. Anthropometric measurements were taken by professionally trained researchers and subject’s weight status was defined according to BMI. The sample, representing adolescents aged between 14 and 19 years, consisted of 552 subjects, 324 of whom were females ( 58.7 %), while 228 were males (41.3 %). The current study reports a 18.3% and 12.1% prevalence of overweight and obesity in Benghazi adolescents, with a lesser underweight prevalence (4.9%); reflecting a presence of two faces of malnutrition in the country. Gender, age, school address, mother’s occupation, frequency of walking for long distance and football playing, duration of football training, and total energy expenditure are the variables which associated with adolescent weight status at (P<0.05).