الفهرس 
OBESITYOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Extensive research has been conducted on the relationships between calories, amount of food eaten and body weight. To lose weight a person must eat fewer calories than what he or she expends, People may not limit what they consume based on calories alone. Feeling full is one reason that people stop eating. Short-term studies indicate that the volume of food people eat at a meal is what makes them feel full and stop eating, rather than the calorie content of the food, Water and fiber increase the volume of foods and reduce energy density.
Other factors like smoking, Alcohol and caffeine consumption play also a major role. In addition, it is posited that obese individuals excessively eat in response to these negative emotional states, while normal weight persons do not eat in the face of distress and instead employ other coping mechanisms.
Kuwait with a population of 2.5 million has the highest level of obesity in the world. 75% of the population is obese and childhood obesity is rising. Estimated cost of obesity to Kuwait is a minimum of $2.8 billion annually in direct and indirect costs. This study is aiming to identify BMI among youth, assess whether lifestyle has an association with BMI and to examine the gender differences in lifestyle and BMI among youth in Kuwait University.
Cross-sectional epidemiological survey based on a community background. A youth sample of 320 students has been taken from Kuwait University including both males and females who presented on the survey date and accepted to participate in the study.
The results of this study show that BMI of both sexes are almost equal in their percentages concerning the normal weight, overweight & obese subjects; only 6.3% of males are normal weight, 39% are overweight & 54.7% are obese subjects. In females, only 7.2% were normal weight, 38.1% are overweight & 54.6% are obese females. No statistical significant difference between both sexes as regards the BMI (P=0.949 > 0.05).
Both sexes are almost equal as regards the emotional eating and so there is no statistical significant difference between both sexes (P=0.567 > 0.05). Among males, the percentage of the smokers & non-smokers did not vary significantly (49.9% smokers & 51.1% non-smokers), but when comparing these percentages with the corresponding percentages for the females (7.2% smokers & 92.8 non-smokers) the data showed a highly-statistically significant difference (P=0.0001).
Both males and females spend long-period watching TV and /or playing video games, (59.2% males & 59.8% females), Both sexes tend in their life style to the sedentary life style, as the percentages are (89.2%) among males & (86.6%) among females, on the other hand only (10.8%) of males are active in their life style & (13.4%) are life style-active female. more females are significantly regular consumers of vegetables than males (56.7% and 44.4% respectively) and (X²=4.10, P<0.05)
Regular consumption of fruits does not differ significantly between both sexes. The percentages of both males and females as regards fast food and sweet consumption are almost the same, and thus they are showing a non-significant difference.
When using the significant variables associated with obesity and overweight (regular fast food consumption, regular sweet consumption, and sedentary life style) in the model of step wise regression analysis, regular fast food consumption was the most significant predictor of overweight and obesity among the studied population.
In the comparison between BMI and different dietary habits fast foods consumption, most of the regular consumers were significantly overweight or obese (37.85% and 58.75 % respectively) P < 0.05. Regarding sweet consumption, most of the regular consumers were significantly overweight or obese (37.85 and 58.75%, respective) P < 0.05. In the comparison between BMI and screen viewing duration Most of the overweight and obese participants spend long time watching TV and/or playing video games (43.68 % and 51.58 %, respectively) (P< 0.05). In the comparison between BMI and physical activity those who adopt sedentary life style represent (35.69 %) of the overweight and (57.24 %) of the obese populations, (P< 0.05).All other parameters are non significant.