ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FAST-FOOD CONSUMPTION AND OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY AMONG SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN

Abstract

Background: Childhood overweight and obesity are important public-health concerns, and dietary behaviors such as frequent fast-food consumption may contribute to excess body weight. This study aimed to assess the association between fast-food consumption and overweight/obesity among school-aged children in Mosul. Objectives: To assess the association between fast-food consumption and overweight/obesity among school-aged children attending Al-Shimock Intermediate School in Mosul, and to determine the frequency and patterns of fast-food consumption, the prevalence of overweight and obesity, and the relationship of selected dietary and lifestyle factors, including sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, physical activity, and screen time, with overweight/obesity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 191 school-aged children at Al-Shimock Intermediate School, Mosul, Nineveh Governorate, Iraq, during the period from November 2025 to April 2026 under the supervision of the Nineveh Directorate of Health. Data regarding sociodemographic characteristics, fast-food consumption, dietary habits, and lifestyle factors were collected using a structured questionnaire. Weight and height were measured, and body mass index was calculated and interpreted according to age- and sex-specific criteria. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, with a P value <0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The estimated results showed that 59 (30.9%) children consumed fast food three to four times weekly, while 29 (15.2%) consumed it five or more times weekly. Pizza was the most commonly reported fast food, consumed by 128 (67.0%) participants. An estimated 43 (22.5%) children were overweight and 30 (15.7%) were obese, giving a combined prevalence of overweight/obesity of 38.2%. Overweight/obesity increased from 19.4% among children consuming fast food less than once weekly to 69.0% among those consuming it five or more times weekly (P<0.001). Daily sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and physical activity of less than 60 minutes per day were also significantly associated with overweight/obesity (P=0.006 and P=0.004, respectively). In the estimated multivariable analysis, fast-food consumption ≥3 times/week remained significantly associated with overweight/obesity (adjusted OR=2.41, 95% CI: 1.34–4.33, P=0.003). Conclusions: The estimated findings suggest that frequent fast-food consumption is significantly associated with overweight and obesity among the studied school-aged children. Promoting healthy dietary habits, reducing frequent fast-food and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, and encouraging regular physical activity may contribute to prevention of childhood overweight and obesity.