Cardiometabolic Effects of a 12-Month, COVID-19 Lockdown-Interrupted Lifestyle Education Program for Arab Adolescents.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Childhood obesity and pediatric metabolic syndrome (MetS) have steadily increased during the last decade in Saudi Arabia. Intervention programs to prevent cardiometabolic disorders in Arab youth are needed.

Objective

In this multi-school intervention study which was disrupted by COVID-19-imposed lockdowns (September 2019-April 2021), a 12-month lifestyle education program focused on improving the cardiometabolic status of Arab adolescents was investigated.

Methods

A total of 2,677 Saudi students aged 12-18 years were recruited from 60 different secondary and preparatory year schools in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. The intervention was initially in-person counseling sessions and the subsequent sessions conducted virtually post-pandemic. Baseline anthropometric

SUBMITTER: Al-Daghri NM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9245569 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature