Top

BMC Public Health

Published in:

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Overweight | Research

Differences in nutritional status and level of physical activity among adolescents living in urban and rural areas of Montenegro - national study

Authors: Erol Vrevic, Pavle Malovic, Dragan Bacovic, Danilo Bojanic, Aldijana Nokic

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2024

Abstract

Background

Nutritional status and physical activity are important factors for adolescent health. These factors may vary by the place of residence. This study aims to assess the nutritional status and physical activity levels, as well as their variations by the place of residence.

Methods

The sample consisted of 1503 adolescents (46.3% male; 53.7% female), with a mean age of 15.7 ± 0.7 years. Nutritional status was assessed using Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR), and Body Fat Percentage (BF). Physical activity levels were assessed using the PAQ-C questionnaire. Differences in nutritional status among adolescents living in urban and rural areas were analyzed using Chi-square test (p ≤ 0.05), while differences in physical activity levels were analyzed using an independent samples t-test (p ≤ 0.05).

Results

In terms of BMI, 14.7% of males were overweight and 10.1% were obese, while 12% of female adolescents were overweight and 3.1% were obese. There were no differences in nutritional status among adolescents living in urban and rural areas (BMI, WHtR, BF). Male adolescents in rural areas had significantly higher physical activity levels compared to urban areas (p = 0.032). They showed higher activity scores during a spare time (p = 0.002), physical education classes (p = 0.002), little breaks (p = 0.007), and lunchtime (p = 0.034). Female adolescents showed significance only in spare time activity (p = 0.020).

Conclusion

The differences in nutritional status among adolescents living in urban and rural areas were not found. However, male adolescents living in urban areas showed lower physical activity levels than their rural counterparts. Strategies should be implemented to promote physical activity among adolescents in urban areas, and attention should be given to the further urbanization process to create improved conditions for engaging in physical activity.

Parvizi S, Hamzehgardeshi Z. Adolescents’ view of health concept and its risk factors: a literature review. Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2014;26(3):351–9. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2013-0311.CrossRefPubMed

Choudhary S, Khichar S, Dabi D, et al. Urban Rural Comparison of Anthropometry and Menarcheal Status of Adolescent School going girls of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. J Clin Diagn Res. 2016;10(10):SC08–12. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2016/21882.8757. PMID: 27891415; PMCID: PMC5121753.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

World Health Organization. Global School-based Student Health Survey Results. 2015. Report of the 2015 Timor-Leste Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS). New Delhi: WHO-SEARO; 2015.

Bundy D, Silva ND, Horton A, et al. Child and adolescent health and development: Realizing Neglected Potential. In: Bundy D, editor. et al., Child and adolescent health and development. 3rd ed. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank; 2017.

World Health Organization. Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO Consultation. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2000. (WHO Technical Report Series 894).

World Health Organization. Obesity and overweight. WHO.int website. Updated March 1. 2024. Available from: https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight. Accessed March 2, 2024.

Vasiljevic I. Anthropometric Parameters as indicators of obesity in adolescents in Montenegro. Iran J Public Health. 2018;47(11):1769–70.PubMedPubMedCentral

Malovic P, Vrevic E, Bacovic D, Bojanic D, Ljubojevic M. The relationship between certain Parental/Household Socio-Economic characteristics and female adolescent obesity in Montenegro. Children. 2023;10:820. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10050820.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Davis AM, Bennett KJ, Befort C, et al. Obesity and related health behaviors among urban and rural children in the United States: data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2004 and 2005–2006. J Pediatr Psychol. 2011;36(6):669–76. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsq117.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

10.

Förster LJ, Vogel M, Stein R, et al. Mental health in children and adolescents with overweight or obesity. BMC Public Health. 2023;23:135. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15032-z.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

11.

Allison DB, Fontaine KR, Manson JE, et al. Annual deaths attributable to obesity in the United States. JAMA. 1999;282(16):1530–8. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.282.16.1530.CrossRefPubMed

12.

Ng M, Fleming T, Robinson M, et al. Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980–2013: a systematic analysis for the global burden of Disease Study 2013. Lancet. 2014;384(9945):766–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60460-8.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

13.

Overweight and obesity for professionals. Economic consequences. Publication Year: 2009. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/causes/economics.html.

14.

Wattelez G, Frayon S, Caillaud C, et al. Physical activity in adolescents living in Rural and Urban New Caledonia: the role of Socioenvironmental Factors and the Association with Weight Status. Front Public Health. 2021;9:623685. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.623685.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

15.

World Health Organization. Global recommendations on physical activity for Health. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2010.

16.

Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451–62. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955.CrossRefPubMed

17.

World Health Organization. Physical Activity. World Health Organization. 2022 Oct 5. Available from: www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity.

18.

Mahindru A, Patil P, Agrawal V. Role of physical activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: a review. Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33475. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.33475.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

19.

Telles S, Singh N, Yadav A, Balkrishna A. Effect of yoga on different aspects of mental health. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2012;56(3):245–54.PubMed

20.

Sygit KM, Sygit M, Wojtyła-Buciora P, et al. Physical activity as an important element in organizing and managing the lifestyle of populations in urban and rural environments. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2019;26(1):8–12. https://doi.org/10.26444/aaem/99177.CrossRefPubMed

21.

Guthold R, Stevens GA, Riley LM, et al. Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1·6 million participants. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2020;4(1):23–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(19)30323-2.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

22.

Gurzkowska B, Kułaga Z, Litwin M, et al. The relationship between selected socioeconomic factors and basic anthropometric parameters of school-aged children and adolescents in Poland. Eur J Pediatr. 2014;173(1):45–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-013-2109-1.CrossRefPubMed

23.

Joens-Matre RR, Welk GJ, Calabro MA, et al. Rural-urban differences in physical activity, physical fitness, and overweight prevalence of children. J Rural Health. 2008;24(1):49–54. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-0361.2008.00136.x.CrossRefPubMed

24.

NCD Risk Factor Collaboration. Rising rural body-mass index is the main driver of the global obesity epidemic in adults. Nature. 2019;569(7755):260–4. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1171-x.CrossRef

25.

Rivera-Ochoa M, Brazo-Sayavera J, Vizmanos-Lamotte B, et al. Health-related factors in rural and urban Mexican adolescents from the state of Jalisco: the HELENA-MEX study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(23):8959. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238959.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

26.

Hoffmann K, Bryl W, Marcinkowski JT, Strażyńska A, Pupek-Musialik D. Estimation of physical activity and prevalence of excessive body mass in rural and urban Polish adolescents. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2011;18(2):398–403.PubMed

27.

Liu B, Liu X, Wang Q, Yan W, Hao M. Nutritional status, food consumption, lifestyle, and physical fitness in rural and urban elementary school children in Northeast China. Front Nutr. 2022;9:1044877. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.1044877.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

28.

Mohan B, Verma A, Singh K, et al. Prevalence of sustained hypertension and obesity among urban and rural adolescents: a school-based, cross-sectional study in North India. BMJ Open. 2019;9(9):e027134. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027134.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

29.

Che Hasan MK, Abdullah F, Firdaus MKZH, Jamaludin FIC. Does physical activity and body weight status determine musculoskeletal health among adolescents in Malaysia? Enfermería Clínica. 2021;31:S247–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enfcli.2020.09.010.

30.

Bhutta ZA, Norris SA, Roberts M, Singhal A. The global challenge of childhood obesity and its consequences: what can be done? Lancet Glob Health. 2023;11(8):e1172–3. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(23)00284-X.CrossRefPubMed

31.

Školska. Statistika. Skolskastatistika.edu.me. 2021. Available at: www.skolskastatistika.edu.me. Accessed May 22, 2023.

32.

Marfell-Jones M, Olds T, Stew AD, Carter JEL. International standards for anthropometric assessment. Potchefstroom: International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry; 2006.

33.

Monstat. Stanovništvo Crne Gore prema polu, tipu naselja, nacionalnoj, odnosno etničkoj pripadnosti, vjeroispovijesti i maternjem Jeziku Po opštinama u Crnoj Gori. Podgorica: Zavod za statistiku; 2011.

34.

Ashwell M, Gunn P, Gibson S. Waist-to-height ratio is a better screening tool than waist circumference and BMI for adult cardiometabolic risk factors: systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Rev. 2012;13:275–86.CrossRefPubMed

35.

Slaughter MH, Lohman TG, Boileau RA, Horswill CA, Stillman RJ, Van Loan MD, Bemben DA. Skinfold equations for estimation of body fatness in children and youth. Hum Biol. 1988;60(5):709–23.PubMed

36.

McCarthy HD, Cole TJ, Fry T, Jebb SA, Prentice AM. Body fat reference curves for children. Int J Obes. 2006;30:598–602. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803232.CrossRef

37.

Kowalski KC, Crocker PRE, Kowalski NP. Convergent validity of the physical activity questionnaire for adolescents. Pediatr Exerc Sci. 1997;9(4):342–52. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.9.4.342.CrossRef

38.

Wang JJ, Baranowski T, Lau WP, Chen TA, Pitkethly AJ. Validation of the physical activity questionnaire for older children (PAQ-C) among Chinese children. Biomed Environ Sci. 2016;29(3):177–86. https://doi.org/10.3967/bes2016.022.CrossRefPubMed

39.

OECD. Health at a glance: Europe 2020. Health at a glance: Europe. Paris: OECD Publishing; 2020. https://doi.org/10.1787/82129230-en.CrossRef

40.

Ogden CL, Fryar CD, Hales CM, Carroll MD, Aoki Y, Freedman DS. Differences in obesity prevalence by demographics and urbanization in US children and adolescents, 2013–2016. JAMA. 2018;319(23):2410–8. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2018.5158.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

41.

Tishukaj F, Shalaj I, Gjaka M, et al. Physical fitness and anthropometric characteristics among adolescents living in 68 urban or rural areas of Kosovo. BMC Public Health. 2017;17(1):711. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4727-4.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

42.

Al-Nuaim AA, Al-Nakeeb Y, Lyons M, et al. The prevalence of physical activity and sedentary behaviours relative to obesity among adolescents from Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia: rural versus urban variations. J Nutr Metab. 2012;2012:417589. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/417589.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

43.

Zhu Z, Tang Y, Zhuang J, Liu Y, Wu X, Cai Y, et al. Physical activity, screen viewing time, and overweight/obesity among Chinese children and adolescents: an update from the 2017 physical activity and fitness in China-the youth study. BMC Public Health. 2019;19(1):197. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6515-9.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

44.

Wirnitzer KC, Drenowatz C, Cocca A et al. Health Behaviors of Austrian Secondary Level Pupils at a glance: first results of the from Science 2 School Study focusing on sports linked to mixed, vegetarian, and Vegan diets. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 18(23), 12782. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312782.

45.

Euler R, Jimenez EY, Sanders S, Kuhlemeier A, Van Horn ML, Cohen D, et al. Rural-urban differences in Baseline Dietary Intake and physical activity levels of adolescents. Prev Chronic Dis. 2019;16:E01. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd16.180200.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

46.

Loucaides CA, Chedzoy SM, Bennett N. Differences in physical activity levels between urban and rural school children in Cyprus. Health Educ Res. 2004;19(2):138–47. https://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyg014.CrossRefPubMed

47.

Rosiek MA, Etnier JL, Willoughby MT. A comparison of the effects of Outdoor Physical activity and indoor Classroom-based activities on measures of executive function in preschoolers. IJEC. 2022;54:203–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-022-00318-x.CrossRef

Title: Differences in nutritional status and level of physical activity among adolescents living in urban and rural areas of Montenegro - national study
Authors: Erol Vrevic
Pavle Malovic
Dragan Bacovic
Danilo Bojanic
Aldijana Nokic
Publication date: 01-12-2024
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Overweight
Obesity
Obesity
Published in: BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18402-3

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Differences in nutritional status and level of physical activity among adolescents living in urban and rural areas of Montenegro - national study

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2024

Understanding facilitators and barriers to COVID-19 vaccination in the Zimbabwean population: a qualitative analysis

Sex-related inequalities in crude and age-standardized suicide rates: trends in Ghana from 2000 to 2019

A systematic review of parental burnout and related factors among parents

Publisher Correction: Effects of Wuxi CDC WeChat official account article features on user engagement in health promotion

Understanding factors influencing people with disabilities’ participation in sports and cultural activities

Hearing health survey of the population in Bangkok