Obesity among Jewish and Bedouin secondary school students in the Negev, Israel

Background: Obesity, which is a common problem, may be associated with many pathological conditions. In this study we compare the prevalence of obesity among Jewish and Bedouin 11th and 12th grade students. Methods: Five secondary schools were chosen in the Beer Sheva region. The health charts of school infirmaries of all 512 students attending high classes were reviewed. Birth weight, and weight at ages 6-7, 14-15, and 17-18 were abstracted together with height at 17-18 y, as these data were available to us. Triceps skinfold thickness measurements (TST) were made in a subsample of 243 students. Obesity was defined by comparing the individual weight and height (W-H) and the TST to standard norms for age and sex. Results: The differences between the prevalence rates of obesity among Jewish and Bedouin students were not significant (13.7% vs. 11.0%; 9.9% vs. 6.2%, using the W-H and the TST methods, respectively). Obesity at the ages 6-7 and 14-15 is a significant risk factor for obesity at 17-18 y. (RR = 5.8 and 12.1 respectively with 95% CI = 4.0-12.7 and 7.0-21.9, respectively). No significant differences were found between the rates of obesity obtained by the W-H and the TST methods (13.3% vs. 8.6%). Conclusion: Despite different cultural backgrounds, no significant differences were found between the rates of obesity among Jewish and Bedouin students.