Body mass index and potential correlates among elementary school children in Jordan

Purpose Childhood obesity and overweight are on the rise worldwide, and Jordanian children are no exception to this rule. Childhood Obesity has major implications on the physical and mental health of individuals, and it can often develop into adult obesity. Obesity/overweight correlates have not been researched extensively in the Middle East region, where Jordan is central. This region is undergoing tremendous changes because of wars, globalization, and the influx of refugees. The cultural and eating habits of the people are changing along with demographical changes. Thus, timely research is required to assess the current health state of this dynamic society. The main goal of this study is to understand the environmental and cultural factors that are associated with Body Mass Index (BMI) z score in elementary school children in Jordan. Methods A total of 1260 children enrolled in this descriptive, cross-sectional study. The study used a parental self-reporting questionnaire that contains possible factors associated with BMI, zBMI, demographics, and other pertinent information. Results Several factors have been associated with higher zBMI among elementary school children: if a child owns a smartphone (p = 0.0037), uses electronics to play (p=0.0301), uses electronics for longer hours (p=0.0065), eats food while using electronics or watching TV (p<0.0001 and p = 0.0304, respectively), sleeps less hours in weekends (p = 0.0051), was breastfed for lower number of months (p = 0.0067), lives in rural areas (p = 0.0126), goes to a private school (p = 0.0344) and is a male (p = 0.0069). Conclusion Investigating characteristics and environmental determinants of childhood obesity play an essential role in establishing effective intervention program and reduce future risks of morbidity. Level of evidence Level V, descriptive (cross-sectional) study.