Coexistence of obesity and hunger in young adolescents: Evidence from the Global School-based Student Health Survey

Background Hunger and obesity among young adolescents are serious public health issues; however, the relationship between these issues in this demographic has yet to be examined. Objective To determine whether both obesity and hunger coexist in young adolescents from a global perspective. Methods We analysed data of 142 565 adolescents (age, 12-15 years) from 60 countries from the Global School-based Student Health Survey. Results Total prevalence of moderate and severe hunger was 22.32% and 7.8%, respectively-with the highest in Africa (29.14% and 12.14%, respectively) and the lowest in the Americas (16.83% and 5.31%, respectively). The prevalence of obesity among adolescents with severe hunger was 1.26 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15-1.38) times the prevalence among those without hunger; however, this association varied across countries or regions. Moreover, the prevalence of obesity was 17% (95% CI: 1.04-1.29) higher in adolescent girls with moderate hunger in high-income countries, 91% (95% CI: 1.23-2.58) higher in adolescents with severe hunger in low-income countries and 54% (95% CI: 1.34-1.76) higher in lower middle-income countries compared to those without hunger. Conclusions Both obesity and hunger coexist in adolescent populations worldwide. Our findings emphasize the need for double-duty actions to simultaneously address burdens of hunger and obesity among adolescents.