Abstract

Obesity is now a major global health concern contributing to a significant premature morbidity and mortality in adults. The rate of obesity in children and adolescence are increasing at an alarming rate with an outlook suggesting continued trend of obesity in childhood and adolescents for years to come. The primary cause of obesity is lifestyle change with a combination of increased high calorie intake and adoption of a sedentary lifestyle. This study examines factors contributing to obesity in a sample of 280 school aged expat Iranian children living in Malaysia. The finding from this study indicates that there is a direct relationship between disposable cash available to children as well as the increasing age with their body weight increase (higher BMI and obesity). There were no association between household income, or parental educational or occupational status suggesting little or no parental input in guiding their off springs towards a healthy diet. This together with availability of disposable cash provided a suitable environment for children and adolescents to practice an unhealthy dietary exercise leading to a higher BMI level.

Keywords: Adolescents; Healthy Dietary Intake; Obesity; Body Mass Index (BMI); Disposable Cash

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