Prevalence of short sleep duration and its association with obesity among adolescents 15- to 19-year olds: a cross-sectional study from three major cities in Saudi Arabia

Adequate sleep has been considered important for the adolescent's health and well being. On the other hand, self-imposed sleep curtailment is now recognized as a potentially important and novel risk factor for obesity. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of short sleep duration and its association with obesity among Saudi adolescents. This is a school-based cross-sectional study with self-reported sleep questionnaires. It was conducted during the years 2009/2010 in three cities in Saudi Arabia; Al-Khobar, Jeddah, and Riyadh. Participants were 2868 secondary-school males [1379] and females [1389] aged 15 to 19 years, randomly selected using a multistage stratified sampling technique. Measurements included weight, height, waist circumference, BMI, and sleeping duration. Logistic regression analysis while adjusted for age, gender, and location was used to examine the associations between sleep duration and obesity measures. The mean [SD] of sleep duration was 7.2 [1.6] hours/day with no significant differences between males and females. About 31% of the participants obtain less than 7 hours of sleep per day, while approximately 50% of the sample gets less than 8 hours of daily sleep. Two-way ANCOVA results while controlling for the effect of age revealed a significant gender by school-type interaction [P<0.001]. In addition, adequate sleep duration increased the odds of having normal weight [adjusted odds ratios = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.08-1.50, P = 0.003]. The present study observed a high prevalence of short sleep duration among Saudi adolescents 15- to 19-year olds and that short sleep duration was significantly associated with increased risk of overweight and obesity. Future interventions should investigate whether adopting a healthy lifestyle by adolescents with short sleep duration would improve their sleeping habits or not

Was there a change in the body mass index of Saudi adolescent girls in Al-Khobar between 1997 and 2007?

Special concern is focused on the nutritional status of adolescent girls in order to avoid future health problems. The aim of this study was to determine the change in body mass index [BMI] among adolescent Saudi girls living in Al-Khobar between 1997 and 2007. A cross-sectional sample of adolescent Saudi girls, 15-19-years-old, living in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, was analyzed through two data sets. The first data set [n = 400] was collected in 1997 and the second [n = 321] was collected in 2007. Both data sets used the same sampling method. Anthropometric measurements were made and the BMI was used to determine participants' nutritional status. Statistical analysis was performed. There was an increase in the median weight of Saudi adolescent girls from 1997 to 2007, but the change was not statistically significant. There was a statistically significant change, however, in adolescent girls' height during the 10-year interval. Using BMI to determine the nutritional status of the sample, no statistically significant difference was found. Overweight and obesity remain prevalent in about 30% of the adolescent girls, and about 3.5% of the girls in both sets were underweight. This study concluded that there was no change in BMI among Saudi adolescent girls living in Al-Khobar during the 10-year span. Underweight is of low prevalence, and overweight and obesity are the critical nutritional problems that are faced by this population. Further research using time span comparisons is important to assess changes in maladaptive overweight and obesity

[Assessment of head problem: a study of female primary school children in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia]

This study is aimed to assess the problem of head lice among primary female students in the city of Al Khobar, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. A model [DPSEEA] adopted by the World Health Organization [WHO] was used. It is also aimed to find the geographical distribution of head lice. A total of 100 female children manifested with head lice were identified from 40 schools in Al Khobar city. They were interviewed in the School Health Clinic in Al-Khobar using a structured questionnaire. Their weight and height were measured, BMI was calculated. The results showed that the mean number of family members of the studied population was nine persons living mostly in an apartment of 3-4 rooms. About 55% of the infested girls had sisters with similar problem. Thirty per cent did not use any medication or does not know the name of the medicine previously used More than half of the girls used sharing combs and 40% used sharing towels. About 36% of the mothers claimed that the schools were the source of the infestation. There was a statistically significant association between use of medications by infected girls and father's education, and a statistically significant association between use of personal towel by infected girls and mother's education, father's education, and number of family members respectively. A map of head lice distribution that had been produced in this study, using GIS, showed that "Al Thoqba" area reported the highest infestation. A matrix for future strategies was produced in order to control this health problem

Knowledge and attitudes of female school students on medications in eastern Saudi Arabia

To assess the knowledge and attitude of female students on medications in Al-Khobar city, the eastern province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [KSA]. The target population consisted of the third-grade intermediate, and all the 3 grades of secondary school female students in the Al-Khobar area, KSA. A multistage stratified sampling design was adopted at the end of 2001. At the first stage, 13 schools were selected, of which classes were selected in each level using a simple random sampling design. All students in the selected classes were included in the study. The total number of selected students was 1331 females. The mean age of students was 16.1 +/- 1.7 years. Students from the government schools constituted 72.8%. Two-thirds of the students were in the secondary school grade. The Saudi single students constitute the majority. The study shows that self-administration of medications by female students was highly prevalent. Thirty-eight percent of the students have used over-the-counter [OTC] medications. Only 153 [11.5%] of the students used medications under medical supervision. Paracetamol was used as a painkiller during menstruation by a high proportion [576 students, 43.3%], while 43.5% used antibiotics during the previous year. Television was the main source of knowledge on medications and health. Age and knowledge of medication's side effects were the main variables found to be significantly associated with the use of antibiotics and OTC medications. Self-administration of medication was widespread among adolescent girls. There is an immediate need to better understand, and improve the knowledge and medications usage in the schools

Diabetes knowledge among self reported diabetic female teachers: Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia

The objective of this study was to determine the general knowledge of diabetes among female diabetic school teachers in Al-Khobar, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. A total of 91 female diabetic school teachers were interviewed in the School Health Clinic in Al-Khobar using a structured questionnaire. Their weight and height were measured and BMI was calculated. The results showed that understanding of diabetes was inadequate. Knowledge about symptoms of hypoglycemia was low. One-fourth [25%] of the sample of this study was using certain herbs for the treatment or management of diabetes mellitus. About three- fourths were overweight and obese. The results showed a deficiency of knowledge on the general aspects of diabetes mellitus. An appropriate educational material was prepared in the form leaflets, lectures and workshops. This paper concludes that awareness and education about diabetes are needed urgently among the studied sample