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Background: Childhood obesity has increased in Saudi Arabia over the past few decades. However, a representative burden of obesity remains unclear, as most studies had relied on small samples and/or used international growth references, which may have resulted in over-or underestimations of prevalence. Objective: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents in Saudi Arabia using the Saudi growth chart. Methods: This population-based retrospective study included children and adolescents aged 2-19 years who visited any facility within the National Guard Health System (5 hospitals and 24 primary care centers) across Saudi Arabia between 2016 and 2021. The Saudi growth reference for children and adolescents was used for classification. Those with body mass index ≥95th percentile were considered as obese and ≥85th to <95th percentile as overweight. Chi-square tests were used to compare frequencies across groups. Results: A total of 351,195 children and adolescents were included, of which 337,316 (96%) were Saudis. Overall, about one-fifth of the population was overweight (11.2%) or obese (9.4%). The prevalence of obesity was highest among children aged 2-6 years (12.3%), and it was higher among boys (10.4%) than girls (8.3%). In terms of region, the prevalence of obesity among Saudis was highest in the Central and Eastern regions (9.9% for both). Conclusion: The findings highlight an urgent need for national interventions to focus on the upstream determinants of childhood obesity and to improve healthy options for children and adolescents in terms of food and physical activities.
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BACKGROUND: A common bariatric procedure known as gastric sleeve surgery can cause significant weight loss and co-morbid condition alleviation. However, patients could experience persistent problems such as gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal/neural, and psychiatric disorders after surgery. This study aims to identify the most prevalent chronic symptoms following sleeve gastrectomy among a sample of Saudi patients and the impact these symptoms have on patients' lives. METHODOLOGY: Patients who underwent gastric sleeve surgery at the Ensan Clinic, a facility specializing in gastroenterology, were the subjects of this retrospective cohort analysis. The study population consisted of patients who underwent gastric sleeve surgery, showed up for follow-up after the procedure, and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data collection sheet is divided into seven sections. Sociodemographic information was required in the first section, gastric sleeve surgery information in the second, vital signs in the third, lab results in the fourth, past medical history in the fifth, current treatments in the sixth, and postoperative complications and chronic symptoms in the seventh and final sections. RESULTS: In 117 patients, the study evaluated the effects of gastric sleeve surgery. Participants had an average age of 40.21 years, and 61.5% were female. Regarding persistent symptoms after surgery, a sizable percentage of patients mentioned digestive issues such as GERD (44.4%), dyspepsia (60.7%), vomiting (23.1%), nausea (39.3%), and abdominal distention (45.3%). A total of 34.2% of patients reported experiencing anxiety, compared to 11.1% who said they had depression or 2.6% who said they had social issues. A few patients reported experiencing neurological or musculoskeletal issues, including exhaustion (7.7%), faintness (5.1%), back or joint discomfort (7.7%), and shortness of breath (8.5%). CONCLUSION: After undergoing gastric sleeve surgery, a sizable proportion of patients complained of various chronic symptoms and nutritional inadequacies, primarily gastrointestinal problems and musculoskeletal/neurological issues. The study's findings show a connection between these symptoms and surgery.
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BACKGROUND: Despite the success of childhood immunization in reducing vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine hesitancy is now a global health threat to this achievement. The current COVID-19 pandemic may change the picture of vaccine hesitancy toward childhood immunizations, which could influence the mothers' intention to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. AIM: To measure the prevalence and related factors of vaccine hesitancy towards childhood immunization during the era of COVID-19 along with the prevalence of mothers' intention to vaccinate their children the future COVID-19 and its association with childhood vaccine hesitancy. METHODS: Cross sectional study was conducted among 270 Saudi mothers attending outpatient clinics at King Abdullah University Hospital (KAAUH) in Riyadh by purposive sampling technique. Data were collected from January to February 2021 using SAGE Group standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: Although most mothers strongly agree on the importance of the vaccine (79%), almost one-fourth of mothers were hesitant towards childhood immunization (24.31%). Similar percentage of mothers' intended to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 in the next 6 months was reported (24%). Vaccine hesitancy was found to be a significant predictor of mothers' intention. Mothers' education level was significantly associated with being hesitant towards childhood immunization as well as the intention to accept the future COVID-19 vaccine (p < 0.05). Main reason that was highly significantly associated with being hesitant is the concerns about the side effect (50%). CONCLUSION: The present study reported a considerable percentage of mothers who are hesitant towards childhood immunization which predicts their intension to vaccinate towards COVID19 and is associated with the level of education.