Adolescent obesity: Confessions of the young mind

BACKGROUND: Obesity represents a worldwide leading health problem. Although the proportion of adolescent obesity is continuously rising, yet little is known considering adolescent’s opinions regarding this condition. AIM: To investigate adolescent’s perceptions in relation to various aspects of obesity in a prospective cohort study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study population included primary school adolescents, 11–12 years of age. Anthropometric measurements of participants included height and weight. Overweight and obese participants were classified using the International Obesity Task Force criteria. A structured questionnaire assessing physical activity, dietary habits, parental guidance regarding dietary intake and psychological aspects in relation to social functioning, body weight and image was completed by each adolescent. RESULTS: Three hundred and thirty-five adolescents (181 boys) formed the study group. Obese participants were found to have significantly fewer friends (p = .050) and preferred indoor sedentary activities (p = .041). No differences were observed within the groups when questioned about their eating habits in terms of appetite and hunger. The majority of participants reported frequent consumption of homemade snacks in school resulting in no significant difference within the groups. Finally, body weight satisfaction was recorded for only 5.66% of the obese children, 25.66% and 68.64% of overweight and normal-weight participants respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the notion that adolescents are perfectly capable of expressing their opinions. When planning interventional programs for the management of adolescent obesity their views should be strongly considered.