Abstract

Introduction-Aim: It is reported that obesity seen in children and adolescents is usually exogenous and develops due to a non-healthy lifestyle. In this context, this study was conducted to evaluate nutritional habits and physical activity levels of obese adolescents.
Methods: 97 people (40 boys and 57 girls) aged 10-17 years (14.2±1.88 years) who applied to Kocaeli University Research and Training Hospital Nutrition and Diet Department between March and August 2012 were included in the study. Nutrition habits and physical activity levels of participants were collected by face-to-face interview with information form created by researchers, body weight and body fat mass were determined by TANITA TBF-300 body analyzer.
Results: The ratio of adolescents with obesity (BMI 95 p.-<99 p.) was 16.5% (5.1% B, 11.4% G) and severe obese (BMI ≥99 p.) was 83.5% (33.0% B, 50.5% G). The percentage of body fat percentage 85-94 p. was 12.3% (7.3% B, 5.2% G) and those of  ≥95 p. was 87.6% (30.9% B, 56.7% G). The waist circumference was ≥95 p. in 97.6% (33.3% B, 64.3% G) of adolescents. There is no significant difference in BMI, body fat mass and waist circumference distributions of boy and girl adolescents (p>0.05). The ratio of adolescents who are frequent hunger is 54.6% while 46.4% is hunger severely. 50.5% of the participants always do breakfast, 33.0% sometimes do, 16.5% do not. They consume an average of 3.1 ± 1.09 meals per day. Of the adolescents, 68.0% completed their meals 15 minutes before, 59.8% consumed in large portions, 93.8% were eating habits except for meals, and 93.8% stated that they consumed every day from snack foods. Participants drink an average of 433.0 ± 403.79 ml of sugar-sweetened drinks, 3.4 ± 1.02 cups of water (200 ml) per day, and a cup of tea and coffee adds 2.6 ± 1.94 cube sugar, 36.1% add salt without tasting the food. 82.5% of the adolescents do not exercise regularly, average 5.5 ± 2.92 hours per day in the face of TV-computer, 98.0% have sedentary or mild activity life style.
Conclusion: As a result of the study, it was found that one out of every 6 children was severely obese, obese adolescents are often hungry, eating fast in large amounts, prefer snack foods, a tendency to consume sugary and salty foods, water consumption was found to be very low. In addition, a majority (98.0%) did not have sufficient physical activity.  Obesity treatment depends on the determination of its cause as well as its existence. Findings obtained as a result of the research draw attention to the unhealthy nutrition and physical activity habits that should be changed in the treatment of obesity.