Right Diet: a television series to combat obesity among adolescents in Kuwait

Abstract

Ahmad R Al-Haifi,1 Mohammad A Al-Fayez,1 Bader Al-Nashi,1 Buthaina I Al-Athari,1 Hiba Bawadi,2 Abdulrahman O Musaiger,31Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Health Sciences, Showaikh, Kuwait; 2Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 3Nutrition and Health Studies Unit, University of Bahrain and Arab Center for Nutrition, Kingdom of BahrainBackground: Adolescent obesity is a growing public health problem in Kuwait. Reducing obesity can lower the risk of several chronic diseases. Fourteen obese adolescent boys volunteered to participate in a 6-month multidimensional television series on weight loss.Methods: The adolescent boys were recruited through advertisements in schools. The program included counseling sessions, nutritional education, exercise, family support, peer group involvement, and incentives designed to motivate participants.Results: The mean age of the boys was 15.6 ± 0.8 years. On average, subjects lost 10.6 ± 8.9 kg in weight and gained 3.3 ± 1.6 cm in height during the study period. The difference in mean body mass index at baseline and at 6 months following intervention was significant (P < 0.001) at 36.8 ± 4.6 and 32.0 ± 5.4, kg/m2 respectively. Participants ranked counseling as the most important component of the program, followed by family support and type of program.Conclusion: This type of television series could be used as a model for future public health programs to prevent and control obesity among adolescents.Keywords: diet, television, obesity, adolescents