Weight control practices and its associated factors among high school female-adolescents’ in Hawassa town, Ethiopia

Abstract

Adolescence, especially for females, is a period of ongoing risk behavior that triggers the development of adverse health outcomes during adulthood. This study aimed to investigate the weight control practice and its associated factors among high school female-adolescents in Hawassa town, Ethiopia. A school-based mixed cross-sectional study was conducted on 552 female-adolescents in Hawassa town, between December 2020 and January 2021. SPSS version 26 was used to perform bivariable and multivariable regression. Chi-square and Odds ratio were used to see the association in addition to Descriptive statistics of the data collected using a structured and semi-structured mixed questionnaire. BMI was calculated after taking the weight and height using a digital weight scale and stadiometer respectively of adolescent female participants. The focus group discussion was collected using an open-ended questionnaire. Among the total female-adolescents, 38.6% [95% CI = 34.5–42.8%] had experienced any of the weight control practices. The study also revealed that 25.9%, 20.5% and 7.8% of female-adolescents had experienced unhealthy, healthy and both weight control practices respectively. The multivariate regression analysis revealed that being at late adolescent age [AOR = 1.98; 95% CI = 1.33–2.95], living in a household at middle wealth status [AOR = 2.72; 95% CI = 1.60–4.63] and high wealth status [AOR = 5.69; 95% CI = 3.43–9.46], having a normal BMI [AOR = 2.36; 95% CI = 1.18–4.71] and being an overweight adolescent [AOR = 2.45; 95% CI = 1.13–5.28], having a mild depression [AOR = 1.72; 95% CI = 1.12–2.66], being dissatisfied with own mid-torso body image [AOR = 2.68; 95% CI = 1.52–4.73] were associated with exercising weight control practice. This study indicates that nearly forty percent of female-adolescents exercise weight control behaviors, of which a significant proportion of them were involved in unhealthy weight control behaviors. Factors that were associated with weight control behaviors among female adolescents should be also considered in designing healthy weight control interventions in urban settings of Ethiopia.

Keywords:

• Female-adolescents
• high school
• overweight
• weight control practice
• ethiopia

Reviewing Editor:

• M. Luisa Escudero-Gilete, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain

Subjects:

• Allied Health
• Specialist Community Public Health Nursing
• Allied Health

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Hawassa University, School of Applied Human Nutrition for giving us a chance to commence this research. We could not have completed this work without the help of our data collectors and the understanding and kind contribution of the study participants. Finally, we would like to extend our gratitude to the principals and assigned officials of schools for facilitating and helping us during data collection.

Ethical approval

Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Review Board at Hawassa University (IRB/039/13 25/11/2020). Also, permission letters were obtained from the responsible bodies of the selected schools included in this study.

Informed consent

Informed consent was collected after a detailed explanation of the purpose and benefit of the study right before the individual data was collected. The participants were also told to opt from their participation in the course of data collection at any time. Besides, participants were informed that the data collection procedure was entirely accomplished anonymously together with observance of the necessary confidentiality of already solicited information. The advantages of their honest response to the successful completion of the study were briefed to the participants to get quality information.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no competing interests in this work and the work is self-funded.

Data availability statement

The data used to support the findings of this study are included in the article. Further data will be provided upon request from the corresponding author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gelana Mulu Waktola

Gelana Mulu Waktola did masters in Public Health and Applied Human Nutrition, at Hawassa University. Currently he is working as Public Health Specialist in one of the health facilities under the Sidama Health Bureau.

Beruk Berhanu Desalegn

Dr. Beruk is currently working as an Associate Professor of Human Nutrition and Food Science, at Hawassa University.

Tagel Alemu Tafese

Mr. Tagel Alemu is lecturer of Food Science and Technology, at Hawassa University.