Overweight and obesity in children aged 3-13 years in urban Cameroon: a cross-sectional study of prevalence and association with socio-economic status.
BACKGROUND
Childhood overweight/obesity is increasing rapidly in developing countries. There is a need to provide more evidence on its burden in sub-Saharan Africa, and to identify associated factors in order to set preventive measures. We aimed to determine the prevalence of overweight/obesity and assess its association with the socioeconomic status in nursery and primary school children in urban Cameroon.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, we included by multi-staged cluster random sampling 1343 children from high (HSES,n= 673) and low (LSES,n= 670) socioeconomic status schools in Douala. Parent/child demographic data were collected, and children's anthropometric parameters were measured using validated methods. The World Health Organization body mass index-for-age reference curves were used.


RESULTS
The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 12.5% (13.2% in girls, 11.8% in boys). The risk of overweight/obesity was 2.40 (95% CI 1.70, 3.40) higher in HSES children compared to LSES after adjusting for age and gender. However this association was attenuated to 1.18 (95% CI 0.59, 2.35) once adjustment had been made for a range of potential confounders.


CONCLUSIONS
Overweight/obesity is relatively common in sub-Saharan African children and prevalence is associated with HSES. However, this association may be mediated by sweet drink consumption, passive means of travel to school and not doing sport at school. We suggest that these potentially modifiable behaviors may be effective targets for obesity prevention. Further studies should specifically focus on unhealthy behaviors that mediate overweight/obesity as well as other non communicable diseases in children.
Health and Human Development (2HD) Research Group, Douala, Cameroon.|Department of Internal Medicine, Douala General Hospital, P.O. Box 4856, Douala, Cameroon.|Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
Simeon-Pierre
SP
Choukem
Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon.
Josiane
J
Kamdeu-Chedeu
Biomedical Research Unit in Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Sam D
SD
Leary
Health and Human Development (2HD) Research Group, Douala, Cameroon.
Yannick
Y
Mboue-Djieka
Health and Human Development (2HD) Research Group, Douala, Cameroon.
Daniel N
DN
Nebongo
Department of Pediatrics, Douala General Hospital, Douala, Cameroon.
Christoph
C
Akazong
Department of Internal Medicine, Douala General Hospital, P.O. Box 4856, Douala, Cameroon.|Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon.
Yacouba N
YN
Mapoure
Biomedical Research Unit in Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Julian P
JP
Hamilton-Shield
Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Lariboisière Hospital, University Paris-Diderot Paris-7, 2 rue Ambroise Paré, 75010 Paris, France.
Jean-François
JF
Gautier
National Centre of Obesity, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Yaoundé Central Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.|Laboratory of molecular and metabolic medicine, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon.|Department of Internal Medicine and Subspecialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Jean Claude
JC
Mbanya
Adolescent; Cameroon; Children; Obesity; Overweight; Prevalence; Socioeconomic status