Food & Nutrition

Arab Journal of Food & Nutrition
83. Eating Patterns as Related to Obesity in Jordanian School Adolescents Aged
14 to 16 in Two Directorates in Amman (2006)
Rawan Mohammad Al – Hazaimeh\ University of Jordan
Supervisor: Dr. Ahmad M. Faqih
Co-Supervisor: Dr. Sa'ad Hijazi
This study was carried out with the main objective of studying the eating
pattern of a group of obese Jordanian adolescent school children (14 – 16 years) in two
school directorates in Amman. In addition, certain risk factors associated with obesity
among this group of adolescents were also studied. It included 120 male and 120
female students who were recruited from randomly selected 4 private and 6 public
schools. Half of the students had normal (average) body weight and the other half were
obese as based on gender and age and on cut – off points identified using reference
BMI percentile data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Whereas a
significant positive correlation (r = 0.3; p = 0.001) was found between the BMI of
normal – weight students and that of their fathers, this correlation tended to be
significant with their mothers (r = 0.1; p = 0.08). It was also observed that the
percentage of students who were breastfed for at least 4 months was significantly
higher (92.4 %) than that of the obese adolescents (78.2 %).
This study showed that noon meal was the main meal for all students. However,
more obese students (84.2 %) recorded that they ate evening meal as compared to 49.2
% of normal – weight students (p < 0.05). about half (52.5 %) of obese subjects
skipped their breakfast as compared to only 18.3 % of normal subjects (p < 0.05). A
similar food pattern for certain food groups was observed for the obese and the normal
– weight students. Whereas 80 % of all students ate more than the preferred range of
the bread and rice group (11 serving / day), only 62 % of students ate more than the
preferred range of the vegetables group. Less than the preferred milk consumption (< 2
cup – equivalent / day) was recorded by about 98 % of all students. It was observed
that 75.8 % of normal weight students and 65.0 % of obese students ate less that the
preferred range of fruits (3 serving / day). However, more of the obese (29.2 %) ate the
preferred range to fruits as compared to 15.0 % of the normal – weight subjects (p <
0.05). a similar proportion of about 30 % of both normal and obese adolescents ate less
than the preferred range of foods of the meat group. However, more obese adolescents
(50.0 %) ate the preferred range of meat as compared to 35.8 % of the normal weight
students (p = 0.04).
As % of total energy intake, the intake of total fat was 30 %; saturated fatty
acids (FA) were 9 %; monounsaturated FA was 10 %; polyunsaturated FA was 5 %.
The cholesterol intake for all students was less than 300 mg / day, with a less intake
for all students was less intake by normal – weight subjects. This pattern suggests that
the fat and cholesterol intake was healthy. The intake of the vitamins A, D, E, thiamin,
riboflavin, niacin, folate, and B 6 was less than the RDA and AI for all students. The
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