title: Prevalence of obesity and associated risk factors among adolescents in Ankara, Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of and the risk factors associated with obesity among adolescents in Ankara, Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in 26 schools in Ankara during the time period from September 2010 to March 2011. A total of 8848 adolescents aged 11-18 years were chosen using a population-based stratified cluster sampling method. Body mass index (BMI) of the participants was compared with the BMI references for Turkish children and adolescents to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity. A standardized questionnaire aiming to determine the sociodemographic characteristics, computer use, television (TV) watching, physical activity, and presence of obesity in the family was applied to the study group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that the overall prevalence of obesity among adolescents was 7.7% (8.4 % for females and 7.0% for males). It was observed that BMI increased as computer use increased. A greater proportion of the overweight and obese adolescents watched TV and use computer for more than 2 hours/day as compared to their normal-weight counterparts. The normal-weight subjects were found to show a higher participation in regular physical activity. Obesity prevalence among the families of obese adolescents was 56.5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of adolescent obesity in Ankara, Turkey is lower as compared to many European countries and to the United States. Computer use, watching TV, physical activity and family factors are important risk factors for obesity.
authors.affiliation: Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sırma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ercan
authors.forename: Yıldız Bilge
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Dallar
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Önen
authors.forename: Özlem
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Engiz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005192:Family Health / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D012737:Sex Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000208:ethnology