النمط الحياتي لطلاب و طالبات المرحلة الثانوية في مدينة الرياض

Abstract EN

The aim of this study was to investigate the lifestyle patterns of male and female secondary school students in Riyadh city.

This includes levels of physical activity, sedentary activity and eating habits.

The measurements include body weight, height and waist circumference as well as calculating body mass index.

The research instruments used for collecting lifestyle variables consist of a previously validated questionnaire containing items related to patterns of physical activity, sedentary activity (TV viewing time and computer use) and eating habits.

All forms of physical activity domains are included in the questionnaire.

A stratified random sample of 1001 participants was drawn from a wide geographical coverage of Riyadh's public and private secondary schools.

The findings of this study indicated that the combined overweight and obesity prevalence rates were 41.2% and 35.85, for males and females, respectively.

The total energy expenditures from physical activity in MET.min/week were 2698.5 for males and 1134.4 for females.

Inactivity prevalence was 26% for males and 44% for females.

In addition, higher percentage of females (80%) exercised inside the home compared to males (24%), while more males (43.7%) than females (5.8%) did exercise outside the home.

The most important reason of being active in female was for weight control and in males was for recreation, while time constraint was the most important reason for not being active in both males and females.

There was no significant difference in the time spent on viewing TV (averaging about 3 hours/day), but more females than males spent time on computer use per day.

Only half of the sample gets 7 hours or more of sleep per day.

Males eat/drink more days per week breakfast at home, sugary and carbonated drinks, fresh fruits, fast foods, and energy drinks.

Females on the other hand eat more days per week potato chips/fries and sweats or chocolates.

It was concluded that obesity and overweight are prevalent in Saudi adolescents in Riyadh and that the levels of health-enhancing physical activity are considered low-moderate in males, and very low in females.

There is an inadequate intake of vegetables and fruits and that improper and unhealthy eating habits are quite common among adolescents.