BODY WEIGHT STATUS OF ADOLESCENTS: A STUDY OF THREE SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES

Abstract

Underweight, overweight and obesity lead to detrimental health outcomes in adolescents and adulthood. Socio-economic/demographic, dietary-lifestyle and psychosocial-familial factors associated with body mass index (BMI) categories of adolescents were investigated in three Southeast Asian countries, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand employing a cross-sectional study based on the World Health Organization’s Global School-based Student Health Surveys of adolescents 13-17 years of age. Age- and sex-adjusted BMI status was categorized as underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese. Ordered probit analysis was performed to examine factors associated with BMI status. Higher likelihoods of overweight and obesity were found among adolescents of both genders in Malaysia and Thailand compared to Indonesia, and higher likelihood of overweight among both groups in Malaysia compared Thailand. Age was negatively associated with overweight and obesity likelihoods among male adolescents in all three countries. Hunger status was correlated with higher underweight and lower overweight/obesity likelihoods among adolescents of both genders in Malaysia and females in Indonesia. Adolescents who exercise regularly experienced higher likelihood of normal BMI in all three countries. Smoking lowered overweight/obesity propensity of male adolescents in Indonesia and Malaysia, while loneliness contributed to propensity of overweight/ obesity among adolescents of both genders in Malaysia. These findings show a need for a portfolio of targeted interventions according to specific adolescent subpopulations within the three target Southeast Asian countries to correct abnormalities in body weight indices detrimental to healthy growth and development.