Background: Obesity is a global public health concern affecting a significant portion of the population. This study aims to determine the overall prevalence of obesity and overweight in Iranian high school students.
Materials and Methods: For this systematic review, a comprehensive search of online databases (Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CIVILICA, SID, Magiran, and Google Scholar) was conducted to identify relevant studies published up to September 2021. The search utilized relevant MeSH keywords and had no time restrictions. Two independent reviewers assessed the quality of the eligible studies and performed the study selection process. The quality of the extracted data was evaluated using the STROBE guidelines.
Results: Finally, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of overweight among students was 11.4% (range: 2.3-20.5%), and the pooled prevalence of obesity was 13.5% (range: 6.1-21%). The highest prevalence of overweight was observed in students from Urmia, while the highest prevalence of obesity was observed in students from Yazd. A significant association was found between student overweight and obesity and factors such as birth weight, infant feeding method (formula vs. breastfeeding), timing of solid food introduction, family income, family history of obesity, parental education level, physical activity levels, screen time (TV and computer games), snacking habits, private school attendance, and weekly rice consumption (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The high prevalence of obesity and overweight among high school students, especially in Urmia and Yazd, underscores the urgent need for comprehensive education. Students and families must be informed about the factors that contribute to these conditions, and encouraged to adopt strategies such as increasing physical activity, improving dietary habits, and implementing preventive measures during adolescence.