Prevalence of obesity and overweight in Palestine: a systematic review

Abstract

Background Overweight and obesity are increasing at an alarming rate in developed countries and developing countries like Palestine. Obesity (body mass index [BMI]30) and overweight (BMI 25•0−29•9) predispose to several non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. Obesity prevalence studies in different age groups and locations across Palestine are very varied in their methods, participants, settings, or results. We aimed to assess the prevalence of obesity and overweight among children (18 years of age and under), adults (over 18 years of age), and people with NCDs in Palestine. Methods We conducted a systematic search and review of literature in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library (from inception to Dec 3, 2016) for articles reporting obesity or overweight prevalence among Palestinians. We included all original, population-based studies, irrespective of their design or publication status, language, or age of participants. Studies were included if they used BMI, waist circumference, or waist−hip ratio as their measurement tool. Two authors independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts for eligibility, then extracted relevant data and assessed the risk of bias. We pooled prevalence estimates of obesity and overweight using random effect models and reported the prevalence (with 95% CI) for children, adults, and people with NCDs separately. Findings Of 773 citations retrieved, we included 38 eligible articles. The pooled prevalences of obesity and overweight were 6% (range 4−10%; I²=98%) and 15% (13−17%; I²=92%) in children; 18% (11−29%; I²=98%) and 30% (24−38%; I²=97%) in adults; and 49% (35−64%; I²=98%) and 40% (31−50%; I²=96%) in people with NCDs. All studies had a moderate to high risk of bias, especially selection bias. Most studies had incomplete reporting of STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) checklist items, especially for source of bias (95%), study limitations (60%), and funding (80%). Interpretation The prevalences of obesity and overweight in Palestine are high compared with those of some other developing nations, such as Tunisia, especially among adults and people with NCDs. However, the results should be interpreted cautiously in light of the high heterogeneity encountered in most studies. Our findings suggest that strategies are required to reduce obesity, and future research needs to identify the most effective interventions for combatting obesity in Palestine. Funding None. Contributors KE designed the study and protocol, developed the data collection sheet, collected data, and wrote and reviewed the Abstract. LE designed the study, developed the data collection sheet, and interpreted and reviewed the Abstract). All authors have seen and approved the final version of the abstract for publication. Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests.

Risk of Tobacco Smoking and Consumption of Energy Drinks on Obesity and Central Obesity Among Male University Students

“…Obesity is a common disease of clinical and public health importance [2,3,6]. However, studies concerning obesity and central obesity among Palestinians are scarce [40][41][42][43]. This study aimed to investigate the risk of tobacco smoking and ED consumption and obesity among Palestinian university students from ANNU.…”

Nutrition Programs of Higher Education in the Occupied Palestinian Territories: A Descriptive Snapshot

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Introducing MyPlate into nutrition teaching in the curriculum of undergraduate medical and allied health professions students in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

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