Scholarlink

Background <p>Overweight and obesity among adolescents is one of the most serious public health concerns worldwide in the 21st century. Problematic internet use (PIU) is associated with physical inactivity, sedentary behavior, disrupted sleep, and poor dietary habits, which can contribute to overweight/obesity and adversely affect mental wellbeing among adolescents. Several epidemiological studies, have explored the association between problematic internet use and overweight/obesity and reported inconsistent findings. The majority of the studies in this regard were from developed nations and there are limited studies from developing countries including Ethiopia.</p> Objectives <p>The study is aimed to assess the association between problematic internet use and overweight and obesity among secondary school adolescents in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.</p> Methods <p>A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents aged 13–19 in public and private secondary schools in Addis Ababa from March to June 2025. A total of 501 adolescents were selected using a three-stage random sampling technique. Problematic internet use was assessed using the validated Amharic version of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT-20). Body Mass Index (BMI) for age Z-score was compared to WHO 2007 growth reference standards using WHO Anthro plus version 3.2.2 software. Data were entered and cleaned using epi data version 3.1 and all statistical tests were done using SPSS 20 software.</p> Results <p>The prevalence of overweight, obesity, and combined overweight/obesity was 16.6%, 4.2%, and 20.8%, respectively. The overall prevalence of PIU was 56.3%. After adjusting for confounders, adolescents with mild (AOR = 8.84; 95%CI: 2.99–26.10), moderate (AOR = 8.65; 95%CI: 2.81–26.62), and severe (AOR = 3.97; 95%CI: 1.36–11.57) PIU had significantly higher odds of overweight/obesity compared to those with normal internet use. Skipping breakfast, low physical activity, and high sedentary time were also significant independent risk factors.</p> Conclusion and recommendation <p>The study reveals a high prevalence of PIU and a strong, graded association between PIU severity and overweight/obesity among in-school adolescents in Addis Ababa. Parents should encourage their children for managing their children’s internet use and promoting healthier lifestyles at home.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Assessment of association between problematic internet use and overweight and obesity among in school adolescents in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月7日

查看全文
  • Melkamu Abera,
  • Jemal Haidar,
  • Bilal shikur

摘要

Background

Overweight and obesity among adolescents is one of the most serious public health concerns worldwide in the 21st century. Problematic internet use (PIU) is associated with physical inactivity, sedentary behavior, disrupted sleep, and poor dietary habits, which can contribute to overweight/obesity and adversely affect mental wellbeing among adolescents. Several epidemiological studies, have explored the association between problematic internet use and overweight/obesity and reported inconsistent findings. The majority of the studies in this regard were from developed nations and there are limited studies from developing countries including Ethiopia.

Objectives

The study is aimed to assess the association between problematic internet use and overweight and obesity among secondary school adolescents in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Methods

A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents aged 13–19 in public and private secondary schools in Addis Ababa from March to June 2025. A total of 501 adolescents were selected using a three-stage random sampling technique. Problematic internet use was assessed using the validated Amharic version of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT-20). Body Mass Index (BMI) for age Z-score was compared to WHO 2007 growth reference standards using WHO Anthro plus version 3.2.2 software. Data were entered and cleaned using epi data version 3.1 and all statistical tests were done using SPSS 20 software.

Results

The prevalence of overweight, obesity, and combined overweight/obesity was 16.6%, 4.2%, and 20.8%, respectively. The overall prevalence of PIU was 56.3%. After adjusting for confounders, adolescents with mild (AOR = 8.84; 95%CI: 2.99–26.10), moderate (AOR = 8.65; 95%CI: 2.81–26.62), and severe (AOR = 3.97; 95%CI: 1.36–11.57) PIU had significantly higher odds of overweight/obesity compared to those with normal internet use. Skipping breakfast, low physical activity, and high sedentary time were also significant independent risk factors.

Conclusion and recommendation

The study reveals a high prevalence of PIU and a strong, graded association between PIU severity and overweight/obesity among in-school adolescents in Addis Ababa. Parents should encourage their children for managing their children’s internet use and promoting healthier lifestyles at home.