Physical Activity, Fitness and the Energy Cost of Activities: Implications for Obesity in Children and Adolescents in the Tropics - Advances in Food and Nutrition Research - page 57

We have compiled the available published data from the GSHS and
reviewed the current overweight and obesity rates among adolescents in
these tropical countries.
As summarized in Figs. 2.2 (overweight) and 2.3 (obesity), the propor-
tion of overweight adolescents was slightly greater than the proportion of
obese adolescents. It was estimated that the percentage of overweight ado-
lescents ranged from 4.5% (Sri Lanka) to 58.5% (Cook Islands). Niue, a

3.4
3

Algeria

14.6
13.9

Barbados
Benin
British
Cook
Costa Rica
Djibouti ∗
Dominica
Egypt
Fiji
Ghana ∗
Guatemala
Guyana
India ∗
Indonesia ∗
Jamaica
Kiribati
Libya
Malawi
Malaysia
Mauritius

1

0

17.9
17. 19

29

7.6

10.2

6.5

3.2

9.6
8.8

7.1
6.8

4.5

5.9

0.9
0.6

5.4

9.4

3.6
4.6

1. 2.5
2.4

6.7
5.3

8.5
7.8

28.7

23.4

0. 0.4

Girls
Boys

8

11.4

4.6

7.9

Myanmar ∗
Nauru
Niue ∗∗
Pakistan
Peru
Philippines
Saint Kitts
Seychelles ∗
Solomon
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Thailand ∗
Trinidad
Uganda ∗
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Yemen ∗

0.7
0.6

15.7
17.8

39.9

1.1
1

2. 3
2.5 3.1

12.1

16.6

10.3
10.9

2.9
1.5

0.6
0.4

3.7
3.6

6.9
6.2

4.5

6.5

10.7

13.2

1
0.3

5.7

8.4

0
0.3

2.3

5.7

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Figure 2.2 Proportion of overweight adolescents (13-15 years) in the tropics. Definition
of overweight: > þ1 SD from median for BMI-for-age and sex. * According to World
Health Organization (WHO) growth reference for school-aged children and adolescents.
** No data for girls. Data source: Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) ( WHO, 2011 ).