Childhood Obesity May Be Linked to Feeding Habits and Screen Time.

ABSTRACT

Background Childhood obesity is an alarming health problem. Early feeding habits and factors are among the etiological factors contributing to obesity. Objectives The objective of this study is to evaluate the correlation between breastfeeding, alongside other relevant factors, and their potential role as preventative measures against obesity. Methods A cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted on children who attended a pediatric clinic. Demographic, clinical, and anthropometric measurements were taken from the hospital records. A questionnaire was completed by parents telephonically. Overweight was identified as a body mass index (BMI) of > 85-95% and obesity as a BMI of > 95%. Results A total of 101 children, with a mean age of 8.88 ± 4.01 (range one to 18) years, were involved, of whom 58.4% were boys. A high BMI (overweight or obese) was found in 30 (29.7%) children. The highest BMIs were among soft drink consumers [two children (66.7%) consumed daily and eight children (40%) consumed monthly], high birth weight in two children (40%), cow's milk formula feeding in eight children (38%), and weekly fast food consumption in 18 children (35%), none of these were statistically significant. Nevertheless, there was a significant association between mean electronic device usage and high (204.5 ± 164.76 hours) and normal BMI (147.61 ± 110.24 hours) (p-value < 0.05). Conclusion This small cross-sectional study shows that almost one-third of the included children were overweight or obese, which is comparable to what has been published in the literature. Moreover, there was a potential link between some factors and obesity, especially screen time, which may contribute to the controversial literature.