RESUMO
Background: Worldwide, obesity prevalence has nearly tripled since 1975, with about 13% of adults being obese and about 39% overweight. Overweight and obese persons are vulnerable to frequent stigmatization and discrimination because of their weight, an issue that is barely discussed in the medical literature. In Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of obesity is 36%. However, there is no available data on the prevalence of perceived weight stigma among obese people. Therefore, this study aims to (a) determine the Distribution of perceived weight stigma among obese people, (b) identify the major sources of stigma, and (c) determine the psychological impact of perceived weight-based stigma on obese people in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Saudi Arabia using an online questionnaire that includes Stigmatizing Situations Inventory Scale (SSI) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Results: 1341 people participated in the study, of which 819 (61%) were females and 522 (39%) were male. Of all, 62 (5%) were underweight, 357 (27%) were normal weight, and 922 (69%) were overweight or obese. Participants in the overweight/obese category scored higher on average in every SSI item than did their counterparts in the underweight and normal weight categories, indicating higher levels of stigma among overweight and obese participants. The major sources of stigma for overweight and obese participants were identified based on the mean of participant responses to each item. These were: assumption about overeating or binge eating (mean response ± SD 2.80 ± 3.01), children's comments (2.22 ± 2.58), being stared at in public (2.18 ± 2.83) and being singled out as a child (2.05 ± 2.67). Conclusion: Parallel with the literature, our findings indicate a high prevalence of weight stigma in Saudi Arabia which can have negative psychological implications on obese people.
RESUMO
Background Dietary supplements are used for a variety of reasons, some of which are for medical conditions, to compensate for dietary insufficiency, to improve physical performance, and to boost immunity. Generally, individuals who visit sports facilities seek different benefits; it could be for health and well-being, to achieve the desired body shape, for enjoyment purposes, or as a way to socialize. To help achieve some of these goals, dietary supplements can be taken. Aims This study is designed to assess the prevalence and awareness of dietary supplement use among Saudi women who frequent fitness centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in November 2021 among Saudi women who visited gyms in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The sample consisted of 355 participants, all of whom were women from Saudi Arabia. The statistical analysis was done using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 21.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Necessary statistical tests such as the chi-square, the t-test, and other appropriate tests were used. A p-value of less than 0.05 has been adopted for statistical significance. Results The majority of the 355 female participants consumed dietary supplements (68.7%). The most commonly used supplements were vitamins (82.8%), amino acids and proteins (30.3%), minerals (22.1%), and fatty acids (3.3%). In the study group, 53.3% of those who were using or used supplements had previous knowledge; 13.1% were up-to-date; and 33.6% weren't. No relationship was found between supplement use and educational level, weight, body mass index (BMI), or marital status. Conclusion Dietary supplement use is common among women who visited gyms in Saudi Arabia. Vitamins were the most commonly used supplements, which suggests that users were more concerned about general health and diet deficiencies than anything else. The participants use dietary supplements cautiously; the majority consume dietary supplements under a doctor's prescription and after reading the leaflets.