THE IMPACT OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS (SES) OF FAMILIES ON THE CHILDHOOD OBESITY IN TÜRKİYE

Authors : Nazan Yardım

Pages : 28-46

View : 35 | Download : 47

Publication Date : 2023-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :In Türkiye obesity is one of the public health problems. The study focuses on childhood obesity and socioeconomic status (SES), the linkages between socioeconomic status (SES) and childhood obesity. The data of the study are from the Turkey Childhood Obesity Surveillance 2016 with a representative sample. The dependent variable is obesity, the main independent variable is the SES index constructed to identify the socioeconomic status of the family. In this study, 1 out of 10 7-year- old children is obese. The results reinforce the importance of SES in determining the obesity status of children. The higher SES is found to be significantly related to a higher risk of childhood obesity. Male sex is a predictor of obesity both of univariate and multivariate analysis. To be male, children using a vehicle for school transportation, whose mother and/or father are/is obese, whose birthweight was over 3,500 gr are found to be under the elevated risk of obesity. Children who do not do a physical activity or make less than 1 hour a day, the risk of obesity is approximately two times higher. Children who eat pizza and other pastries frequently are 1.3 times more likely to be obese than children who seldom eat such dishes. The results of the study suggest that the tackle against obesity should start from childhood.
Keywords : SED, obezite, çocukluk, diyet, Türkiye