Assessment of Weight Loss Practice among Adolescents in Lower Egypt Governorates

Background: Proper nutrition is essential to promote good health and wellbeing.
Adolescence has been identified as an important period for establishing healthy eating
behaviors. A healthy diet plan should aim for a weight-loss goal of no more than one
kilogram (kg) per week. Objective: to assess weight loss practice among adolescents and to
determine association between some personal factors and weight loss practice. Method: A
cross sectional study was conducted among (842) adolescent students from governmental
preparatory and secondary schools in some Lower Egypt governorates (Cairo – Daqahliyah),
during the academic year (2018-2019) by multistage cluster sampling technique. The
students completed a structured questionnaire about weight loss practices. The anthropometric
measurements (weight and height) were measured. Results: The percentage of obese and
overweight students were 23.6% and 14.4% respectively. Prevalence of weight loss practice
was 25.4% in all studied sample. only 11.7% of them visited nutritionist to decrease their
weights. There was statistical significant relation between age and education with reducing
number of meals to two or one, taking Herbs or un-prescribed medicines, Fasting and Induce
vomiting where these practices were more among older age groups and Secondary educated
students (p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.001and p=0.009) respectively. Conclusion: Prevalence of
weight loss practice was twenty five percent among studied adolescent students. Visiting
dietitian was not a common weight loss practice.