Obesity Among Students.. Numbers Open the File of School Lifestyle

According to the survey results announced by the Ministry of Health recently, 32.9% of students in this age group suffer from overweight or obesity, with 20.8% suffering from overweight and 12.1% from obesity, while the results showed that only 12% of students engage in physical activity for more than 60 minutes daily during weekdays, while 31.5% of them did not participate in school sports classes.

The results also showed a disparity in the rates of overweight and obesity according to the type of education, as the percentage in private schools reached 42.5% compared to 30.3% in public schools. The survey was conducted in 57 schools in Jordan.

The survey results coincided with official measures aimed at improving the food environment and physical activity in schools, including strengthening the supervision of school cafeterias and regulating the list of foods and beverages allowed to be sold to students, in addition to emphasizing the activation of physical education classes on a regular basis.

In this context, educational researcher Caesar Al-Gharaibeh said that the numbers reflect rapid changes in the daily lifestyles of the younger generation, and should not be looked at as separate health indicators, but as an issue where the family, school, food environment, and physical activity intersect.

He explained in an interview with 'Al-Rai' that obesity among students does not arise in isolation from the lifestyle, pointing out that the decline in daily movement, the increasing use of smartphones and electronic games, and spending long hours in front of screens, contributed to reducing the space for physical activity and motor play among children and adolescents.

He added that dietary habits are another factor in this phenomenon, in light of the attraction to fast food and foods rich in fats, sugars, and sweetened beverages, in addition to the disruption of sleep schedules and staying up late, which are factors that can interfere in shaping an unhealthy lifestyle among students.

Al-Gharaibeh emphasized that the repercussions of overweight and obesity do not stop at the health aspect, but extend to psychological, social, and educational aspects, pointing out that some students may be exposed to bullying and ridicule because of their weights, which may affect their self-confidence and interaction within the school environment.

He pointed out that dealing with the phenomenon also requires reviewing some social concepts related to food, including the belief that a child's weight gain necessarily means good health, stressing that building food and health awareness starts from the family and continues within the school.

Al-Gharaibeh believes that addressing the problem requires the integration of roles between health, educational, and family entities, so that measures are not limited to regulating school cafeterias, but extend to enhancing physical activity, activating physical education classes, encouraging students to move during the school day, and providing healthier food options.

He also called for the continuation of student health survey programs and the periodic monitoring of growth indicators and body mass, providing nutritional counseling, and implementing awareness campaigns targeting students, parents, and teachers, making prevention part of the school environment and not a temporary response to rising indicators.