Prevalence and risk factors of overweight and obesity among children aged 6–59 months in Cameroon: a multistage, stratified cluster sampling nationwide survey

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children ( 2) and obesity (BMI for age > 3). Regression analyses were performed to investigate risk factors of overweight/obesity. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 8% (1.7% for obesity alone). Boys were more affected by overweight than girls with a prevalence of 9.7% and 6.4% respectively. The highest prevalence of overweight was observed in the Grassfield area (including people living in West and North-West regions) (15.3%). Factors that were independently associated with overweight and obesity included: having overweight mother (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.51; 95% CI 1.15 to 1.97) and obese mother (aOR = 2.19; 95% CI = 155 to 3.07), compared to having normal weight mother; high birth weight (aOR = 1.69; 95% CI 1.24 to 2.28) compared to normal birth weight; male gender (aOR = 1.56; 95% CI 1.24 to 1.95); low birth rank (aOR = 1.35; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.72); being aged between 13-24 months (aOR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.21 to 2.66) and 25-36 months (aOR = 2.79; 95% CI 1.93 to 4.13) compared to being aged 45 to 49 months; living in the grassfield area (aOR = 2.65; 95% CI = 1.87 to 3.79) compared to living in Forest area. Muslim appeared as a protective factor (aOR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.46 to 0.95).compared to Christian religion. CONCLUSION: This study underlines a high prevalence of early childhood overweight with significant disparities between ecological areas of Cameroon. Risk factors of overweight included high maternal BMI, high birth weight, male gender, low birth rank, aged between 13-36 months, and living in the Grassfield area while being Muslim appeared as a protective factor. Preventive strategies should be strengthened especially in Grassfield areas and should focus on sensitization campaigns to reduce overweight and obesity in mothers and on reinforcement of measures such as surveillance of weight gain during antenatal consultation and clinical follow-up of children with high birth weight. Meanwhile, further studies including nutritional characteristics are of great interest to understand the association with religion, child age and ecological area in this age group, and will help in refining preventive strategies against childhood overweight and obesity in Cameroon

Mother and Household characteristics among overweight, obese and thin children aged 6 to 59 months, Cameroon, 2011.

<p>Mother and Household characteristics among overweight, obese and thin children aged 6 to 59 months, Cameroon, 2011.</p

National distribution of prevalence rates of overweight and obesity among children aged 6 to 59 months, according to ecological areas, Cameroon, 2011.

<p>National distribution of prevalence rates of overweight and obesity among children aged 6 to 59 months, according to ecological areas, Cameroon, 2011.</p

Children characteristics among thin, normal weight and overweight children aged 6 to 59 months, Cameroon, 2011.

<p>Children characteristics among thin, normal weight and overweight children aged 6 to 59 months, Cameroon, 2011.</p

Univariate and multivariate analysis showing factors independently associated with overweight/obesity in children aged 6 to 59 months, Cameroon, 2011.

<p>Univariate and multivariate analysis showing factors independently associated with overweight/obesity in children aged 6 to 59 months, Cameroon, 2011.</p