In urban Bangladesh, obesity is a fast-growing problem in adolescence girls owing to poor dietary habits, consumption of fast food, and lack of physical activities, especially among adolescent girls in Dhaka City. The purpose of the study was to evaluate food habits, fast-food consumption, and physical exercise among obese adolescent girls in Dhaka City, and to identify the behavioral and lifestyle determinants of obesity. The study was mixed-method cross-sectional research that involved a survey of 384 obese adolescent girls, five (05) Focus group Discussions (FGDs), ten (10) Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), and five (05) in-depth case studies. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data. Quantitative data were determined descriptively using SPSS software, whereas qualitative data were coded and thematically analyzed using NVivo software. The average age of the participants was 16.81 (±1.95) years; older adolescents were more represented (especially 19-year-olds, 25.3%). The majority of the respondents were in the secondary level (61.5%). Bread (75.4%) and rice (34.1%) were the main breakfast foods, whereas protein consumption was minimal (meat 18.9%, fish 17.8%). Lunch foods were mainly rice (94%), fish (82.8%), meat (77.1%), dal (66.4%), and vegetables (76%), and 27.9% took soft drinks. Rice (78.9), vegetables (64.1%), fish and meat (61.1%), and dal (50.7%) were also dinner items. Foods consumed had a broad take-up, with fast-foods being the most consumed (fuska 70.8%), followed by ice-cream (56.8%), soft drinks (56.3%), and chocolate (56.3%). Physical inactivity was also evident, with the majority of the respondents having not cycled (77.9%), swam (76.6%), or played football (83.4%). Inactive lifestyles, such as frequent use of social media (58.6%) and watching TV (53.4%), were prevalent. Carbohydrate-based diets and high-frequency fast-food intake, as well as sedentary lifestyles in Dhaka City, are closely linked to obesity in adolescent girls, which puts the emphasis on the combination of nutrition and physical activity programs.

DOI : http://doi.org/10.71253/jsd-iswr.dec25.34.1.01

Authors : Dr. Mahbuba Sultana and Md. Tuhin Mia

Keywords : Obesity, Adolescents, Girls, Fast Food, Physical Activity, Dhaka, Bangladesh.