Research Article Open Access

Prevalence and Predictors of Overweight and Obesity Among Primary School Children in Cairo, Egypt: The Role of Dietary and Lifestyle Factors

Authors

Shaimaa M. Omran
Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
|
Eman A. Ahmed
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
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Mohamed S. El Gwaily
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
|
Areej B. Senjalawi
Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
|
Al Sayed A. El Okda
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
|
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Ayman S. Mazahreh
iD 0000-0003-1856-3218
Department of Social and Applied Sciences, Princess Alia University College, Al-Balqa Applied University, Amman, Jordan
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Hussein O. Alkhozahe
Department of Social and Applied Sciences, Princess Alia University College, Al-Balqa Applied University, Amman, Jordan
|
Baha’a M. Abu Salma
iD 0009-0009-6984-4379
Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Jerash University, Jerash, Jordan
Published on: September 16, 2026
DOI 10.66920/pjn.2026.55.65
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Abstract

Background and Objective: Childhood obesity is a growing global health concern associated with sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy dietary habits, with substantial health consequences during both childhood and adulthood. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among primary school children aged 6-12 years and to identify key factors associated with these conditions.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 600 children enrolled in two primary schools, including a public Arabic-language school and a public language school, in East Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt.

Results: The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 15.7 and 12.7%, respectively. Girls had higher prevalences of both overweight and obesity than boys. Body mass index (BMI) was positively correlated with age and inversely correlated with meal frequency and physical activity. Consumption of specific foods, including meatballs, shrimp, and burgers, as well as soft drinks, was associated with higher BMI. Logistic regression analysis identified the father's occupation and late dinner consumption as significant predictors of obesity, whereas regular breakfast consumption was associated with a lower likelihood of obesity.

Conclusion: Socioeconomic factors and specific dietary habits are important predictors of childhood obesity. Preventive strategies targeting healthy dietary practices, regular meal patterns, and increased physical activity may help reduce the risk of overweight and obesity among school-age children.

Keywords:

BMI, childhood, dietary, factors, habits, lifestyle, obesity, overweight, physical activity, prevalence, risk, socioeconomic status, soft drinks

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Copyright (c) 2026 Shaimaa M. Omran, Eman A. Ahmed, Mohamed S. El Gwaily, Areej B. Senjalawi, Al Sayed A. El Okda, Ayman S. Mazahreh, Hussein O. Alkhozahe, Baha’a M. Abu Salma

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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Omran, S. M., Ahmed, E. A., El Gwaily, M. S., Senjalawi, A. B., El Okda, A. S. A., Mazahreh, A. S., Alkhozahe, H. O., & Abu Salma, B. M. (2026). Prevalence and Predictors of Overweight and Obesity Among Primary School Children in Cairo, Egypt: The Role of Dietary and Lifestyle Factors. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, 25, 55–65. https://doi.org/10.66920/pjn.2026.55.65
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