Evaluation of being overweight/obese and related sociodemographic factors in 0-5 year age group in Turkey: Turkey Demographic Health Survey 2013 advanced analysis

BACKGROUND/AIM: To determine risk factors of overweightness/obesity in children aged 0-5 years in the Turkish population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We made advanced analysis using the Turkey Demographic Health Survey (TDHS) 2013 female database, in which data from children aged under five years and their mothers are included. Analyses were performed using weight for height index data. The children were divided into two groups by age as 0–23 months and 24–59 months. RESULTS: The analysis comprised 2196 children aged under 5 years. Several factors were associated with an increase in overweightness/obesity of children aged under 5 years. Overweight/obesity in children aged 0-23 months was associated with several factors such as age (12–23 months) (OR: 2.89 CI: 1.62-5.13), high birth weight (OR: 2.36 CI: 1.26-4.44), maternal obesity (OR: 2.09 CI: 1.33-3.27), and maternal smoking (OR: 2.07, CI: 1.28-3.33). Overweightness/obesity in children aged 24–59 months was associated with several factors such as education level of the mother (OR: 2.27, CI: 1.08-4.75), consanguineous marriage (OR: 2.86, CI: 1.83-4.47), and which region of Turkey the family lives in (OR: 2.79, CI: 1.53-5.08). CONCLUSION: Our results from the TDHS 2013 showed several risk factors of children overweight/obesity. Determining obesity risk factors, monitoring obese children/adults, and providing a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment and prevention of obesity will be useful for the future.