Dermatoses in obese female schoolchildren in Al Khobar area, eastern Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the most frequent skin disorders in obese female schoolchildren in primary and intermediate schools in the Al-Khobar area, Eastern Saudi Arabia. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Al-Khobar area. It involved 2239 female schoolchildren randomly selected from 30 regular public and private primary and preparatory schools. A multi-stage stratified random sampling technique with proportional allocation was used. Data was collected using clinical examination and anthropometric measurements. The skin diseases that were most common in obese schoolchildren were dandruff, acne, xerosis, acanthosis nigricans, folliculitis, alopecia, stria distensae [stretch marks] and callosity. obesity is associated with specific skin disorders. Health education programs on skin diseases and obesity should be provided to all schoolchildren, their families and teachers