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Published in: BMC Pediatrics 1/2020

01-12-2020 | Obesity | Research article

Trends in the prevalence of twenty health indicators among adolescents in United Arab Emirates: cross-sectional national school surveys from 2005, 2010 and 2016

Authors: Supa Pengpid, Karl Peltzer

Published in: BMC Pediatrics | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the trends in the prevalence of various health indicators among adolescents in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Methods

Nationally representative data were analysed from 24,220 in-school adolescents (median age = 14 years) that took part in three cross-sectional surveys (2005, 2010 and 2016) of the “UAE Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)”.

Results

Significant improvements were identified among both girls and boys in the reduction of being physically attacked, inadequate fruit intake, inadequate vegetable consumption, loneliness, and among girls only poor oral hygiene (< 2 times tooth brushing/day) and among boys only, experiencing hunger and in physical fight. Significant rises were identified among both girls and boys in the prevalence of bullying victimization, overweight or obesity, leisure-time sedentary behaviour, injury and inconsistent washing hands prior to eating, and among boys only obesity and among girls only inadequate physical activity, and school truancy.

Conclusions

Several reductions but even more increases of poor health indicators were identified over three cross-sectional surveys during a period of 11 years emphasizing the need for enhanced health promotion activities in this adolescent school population.
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Metadata
Title
Trends in the prevalence of twenty health indicators among adolescents in United Arab Emirates: cross-sectional national school surveys from 2005, 2010 and 2016
Authors
Supa Pengpid
Karl Peltzer
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Pediatrics / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2431
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-020-02252-0

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