Body image perception and weight-related behaviour among adolescents of the Seychelles

Background: We examined one's own body image perception and its association with reported weight-related behavior among adolescents of a rapidly developing country in the African region. Methods: We conducted a school-based survey of 1432 students aged 11-17 years in the Seychelles. Weight and height were measured, and thinness, normal weight and overweight were assessed along standard criteria. A self-administered and anonymous questionnaire was administered. Perception of body image was assessed using both a closed-ended question (CEQ) and the Stunkard's pictorial silhouettes (SPS). Finally, a question assessed voluntary attempts to change weight. Results: Overall, 14.1% of the students were thin, 63.9% were normal-weight, and 22.0% were overweight or obese. There was fair agreement between actual weight status and self-perceived body image based on either CEQ or SPS. However, a substantial proportion of the overweight students did not consider themselves as overweight (SPS: 24%, CEQ: 34%) and, inversely, a substantial proportion of the normal-weight students considered themselves as too thin (SPS: 29%, CEQ: 15%). Among the overweight students, an adequate attempt to lose weight was reported more often by boys and girls who perceived themselves as overweight vs. not overweight (72-88% vs. 40-71%, p <0.05 for most comparisons). Among the normal-weight students, an inadequate attempt to gain weight was reported more often by boys and girls who perceived themselves as thin vs. not thin (27-68% vs. 11-19%, p <0.05). Girls had leaner own body ideals than boys. Conclusions: We found that substantial proportions of overweight students did not perceive themselves as overweight and/or did not want to lose weight and, inversely, that many normalweight students perceived themselves as too thin and/or wanted to gain weight: this points to forces that can drive the upwards overweight trends. Appropriate perception of one's weight was associated with adequate weight-control behavior, although not strongly, emphasizing that appropriate weight perception is only one of several factors driving adequate weight-related behavior. These findings emphasize the need to address appropriate perception of one's own weight and adequate weight-related behavior in adolescents for both individual and community weight-related interventions

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents in Seychelles : results of the School Screening Program in 2013

Results related to overweight and obesity in 2013: Participation to the school screening program was satisfactory in 2013, but a bit less than in previous years (4220 children seen out of a total of approximately 6000 eligible ones). Less than maximal participation to the screening program can relate to different factors, e.g.; a trend for obese children to decline participation; lack of time of school nurses to complete the screening program due to competing duties at health centre level. Good organization by the school nurses and adequate facilities for screening are also important factors for a good conduct of the screening program

Prevalence of self-reported risk behaviors related to non-communicable diseases among Seychellois students aged 15 years and relationships with personal and other characteristics

[Table des matières] 1. Executive summary. 2. Methods. 3. Data collection phase and participation. 4. Tobacco. 4.1. Prevalence. 4.2. Reasons for smoking or for not smoking. 4.3. Comparison with other countries. 5. Drinking habits. 5.1. Prevalence. 5.2. Reasons for drinking or for not drinking. 5.3. Comparison with other countries. 6. Marijuana or hashish. 61. Prevalence. 6.2. Reasons for taking drugs and for not taking drugs. 6.3. Relationships between smoking, drinking and taking marijuana. 7. Physical activity outside school hours. 7.1. Prevalence. 7.2. Comparison with other countries. 7.3. Response to statements about sports. 8. Dietary habits. 8.1. Frequency of intake of selected foods. 8.2. Patterns for taking breakfast and lunch. 8.3. Comparison of food intake with other countries. 9. Body weight and perception of body image. 9.1. Prevalence overweight and obesity. 9.2. Self-perceived size, height appearance. 10. Practices during leisure time. 11. Indicators of personal skills and feelings. 12. Indicators of attitudes, behaviors and performance related to school. 13. Relationships between smoking, drug taking, drinking and overweight and selected personal, educational, emotional and other characteristics. 14. Information that students report to receive and wish to receive at school. Appendix: Questions (derived from the standard HBSC) and answers with detailed results by sex and class categories

Association between obesity indices and cardiovascular risk factors in late adolescence in the Seychelles.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The ability of different obesity indices to predict cardiovascular risk is still debated in youth and few data are available in sub Saharan Africa. We compared the associations between several indices of obesity and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in late adolescence in the Seychelles. METHODS: We measured body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist/hip ratio (WHiR), waist/height ratio (WHtR) and percent fat mass (by bioimpedance) and 6 CVRFs (blood pressure, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose and uric acid) in 423 youths aged 19-20 years from the general population. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight/obesity and several CVRFs was high, with substantial sex differences. Except for glucose in males and LDL-cholesterol in females, all obesity indices were associated with CVRFs. BMI consistently predicted CVRFs at least as well as the other indices. Linear regression on BMI had standardized regression coefficients of 0.25-0.36 for most CVRFs (p<0.01) and ROC analysis had an AUC between 60%-75% for most CVRFs. BMI also predicted well various combinations of CVRFs: 36% of male and 16% of female lean subjects (BMI <P50) had ≥2 CVRFs compared to 74% of male and 46% of female overweight subjects (BMI >P90). CONCLUSION: There was an elevated prevalence of obesity and of several CVRFs in youths in Seychelles. BMI predicted single or combined CVRFs at least as well as other simple obesity indices

Health for life : annual report of activities for the period January-December 2013

In Seychelles, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), notably stroke, ischemic heart disease and hypertensive heart disease has become the largest contributor of deaths (40%) in the entire population. CVD also results in a large burden of disability and also has subsequent social and economic impact. The Unit for Prevention and Control of Cardiovascular Diseases (UPCCD) provides leadership, expertise and capacity at national level for the surveillance, prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases through education, programs and input into policy

Seychelles National Survey of Noncommunicable Diseases 2023 (Seychelles Heart Study V): Procedures and Key Findings

Collecting and analysing data related to health is a core business of public health. The Seychelles National Survey of Noncommunicable Diseases 2023 (Seychelles Heart Study V) provides data on population levels of NCDs and their risk factors, as well as other determinants of population health. The data also provide information on the impact of public health policies and the performance of the health system in relation to detection and control of NCDs and their risk factors. The data presented in this report are critical for ensuring that NCD prevention and control programmes and policy in Seychelles are driven by the latest epidemiologic data. The data will also enable Seychelles to report to the World Health Organization on the latest levels of NCDs and their risk factors in preparation for the Fourth High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (HLM4) in September 2025. The data collected in the survey also provide public health and academic institutions with a valuable database for further research. The 2023 survey is part of a longstanding effort of the Ministry of Health to understand the impact of NCDs as a result of the health transition in the Seychelles and the needed health system changes to cope with demographic and epidemiological transitions, particularly the large NCD burden. Including this survey, the Ministry of Health has now commissioned five population-based NCD surveys (1989, 1994, 2004, 2013, and 2023). The Seychelles Heart Study V was conducted between August and December 2023. It included 1205 participants aged 18-74 from an age-stratified random sample of the Seychellois population enumerated by the 2022 population census. The participation rate was 66% (or 80% if the 305 persons contacted by the National Bureau of Statistics who refused to communicate their phone number to the MOH are considered as non-eligible). Based on 200 questions and 60 biological and clinical measurements, the survey examined the prevalence of health characteristics in the population, the awareness, detection, and treatment rates of selected NCD risk factors, and associations between these variables. While the survey primarily focused on the four main noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), i.e. cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, and their four shared risk factors (i.e. tobacco use, diet, alcohol intake, physical activity, and health conditions such as obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemias), it also examined other NCDs such as chronic kidney disease, cancer screening, psychological health, oral health, COVID history and use of health services, as well as socio-economic variables and social determinants of health. Other chronic conditions, such as mental health, neuropsychiatric disorders, and osteo-muscular diseases were not considered in the survey, in large part because these conditions often require thorough and time-consuming medical examination. Key findings of the survey were presented to the Senior Management Team of the Ministry of Health on the 8th of April 2024 (in presence of the Minister of Health, Public Health Commissioner, and heads of health services) and are expected to be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers and shared with a broad range of relevant national and international stakeholders engaged in reducing the NCD burden nationally and globally (Appendix 10)

Is Accurate Perception of Body Image Associated with Appropriate Weight-Control Behavior among Adolescents of the Seychelles

Background. We examined body image perception and its association with reported weight-control behavior among adolescents in the Seychelles. Methods. We conducted a school-based survey of 1432 students aging 11–17 years in the Seychelles. Perception of body image was assessed using both a closed-ended question (CEQ) and Stunkard's pictorial silhouettes (SPS). Voluntary attempts to change weight were also assessed. Results. A substantial proportion of the overweight students did not consider themselves as overweight (SPS: 24%, CEQ: 34%), and a substantial proportion of the normal-weight students considered themselves as too thin (SPS: 29%, CEQ: 15%). Logistic regression analysis showed that students with an accurate weight perception were more likely to have appropriate weight-control behavior. Conclusions. We found that substantial proportions of students had an inaccurate perception of their weight and that weight perception was associated with weight-control behavior. These findings point to forces that can drive the upwards overweight trends