Advances in Health Sciences Research, volume 9

2nd Public Health International Conference (PHICo 2017)

The Relationship of Eating Habits, Physical

Activities, Food Choises with Obesity among
Students in Public Senior High School Medan
Vera Chitra Dewi Saragih1, Etti Sudaryati2 R. Kintoko Rochadi3
Department of Public Health Nutrition Department of Public Health Promotion
Faculty of Public Health, University of Sumatera Utara Faculty of Public Health, University of Sumatera Utara
Medan, Indonesia Medan, Indonesia
veracdsaragih@gmail.com, etysudaryati@gmail.com kintokorochadi@hotmail.com

Abstract—The prevalence of obese adolescents aged 16-18 in and the prevalence of obesity for the population aged >15 years
Indonesia is 1.6%, in North Sumatra Province is 1.4%, and in in Medan is 3.18% [4].
Medan is 3.18%. In school children, the incidence of obesity Adolescents have special nutritional needs, because at that
becomes a serious problem because it will continue until they moment the rapid growth and the changes of physiological
grow up. The purpose of this research was to analyze the
maturity were occured. Changes in adolescence will influence
relationship of eating habits, physical activities and food choices
with obesity among high school students. This research was an the needs, absorption, as well as the use of nutrients. Hormonal
analytic research with case control design. Population were changes following puberty also causes many physiological
students of Public Senior High School 3 (SMA Negeri 3) Medan. changes that affect nutritional needs of teenagers. The period of
Sample size based on observational research formula with case the great nutritional needs is on the teen between the ages of
control design were 70 obese students and 70 students who are not 12-15 years in males, and 10-13 years in women [5].
obese. The independent variables were eating habits, physical Many nutritional problems are faced by adolescents like
activity, food choices, while dependent variable was obesity. Data obesity, anemia and anorexia nervosa. Studies on nutritional
was collected by using the questionnaire and statistically analyzed status in adolescence needs to be done because during this
using chi-square test. All independent variables were significantly
period the risk of nutritional disorders is highly occured. One
associated (p < 0.05) and risk factors for obesity in adolescent,
eating habits (OR = 2.72; CI: 1.37 to 5.41); physical activities (OR of the most frequent nutritional problems experienced by
= 2.40; CI: 1.02 to 5.59); food choices (OR = 2.90; CI: 1.45 to 5.81. adolescents is obesity. Obesity in adolescents should be highly
It meant that there was a significant relationship of eating habits, considered as a serious problems because it can affect their life
physical activities, food choices with obesity. when they are adult. Obesity is a risk factor for several non
communicable diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular.
Keywords— eating habits; physical activities; food choices; Obesity can also influence the quality of life. A research
obesity; students conducted among junior high school students in Jakarta
showed that the quality of obese adolescents’ life was lower
than normal adolescents, with p = 0.01. The quality of obese
I. INTRODUCTION adolescents’ life was lower in both physical and psychosocial
The prevalence of obesity globally increase every year, functions (emotion, social, and school function) [6].
even obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. According to World A way to determine the nutritional status in teenagers is by
Health Organization (WHO) more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 measuring the body mass index (BMI) of the teenagers. BMI
years and older were overweight and over 650 million of tthem can help identify teens who have experienced overweight. BMI
were obese in 2016. The prevalence of population age >18 can be calculated using the following formula:
years are 39 % overweight, which is 11% of men, and 15% are
women. Over 340 million children and adolescente aged 15-19 Weight (kg)
were overweight or obese in 2016. This number was risen BMI =
Height (m) x Height (m)
from 4 % in 1975 to over 18 % in 2016 [1]. World Obesity
Federation (WOF, 2015) reported that in Southeast Asia there The assessment of nutritional status of adolescent are
were 2.6% of men and 1.5% women in the age group 14-17 determined based on BMI by age in accordance with standards
years who were obese [2]. of the WHO [7]. The categories can be seen in the Table 1
Basic Research 2013 showed that the prevalence of obesity below :
in adolescent aged 16-18 years is 1.6% [3]. The prevalence of
obesity in adolescents in North Sumatera Province was 1.4%

Copyright © 2018, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.

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TABLE I II. MATERIAL AND METHODS

CATEGORIES AND CHILD NUTRITIONAL STATUS TRESHOLD AGE 5-18 YEARS
BASED ON BMI INDEX BY AGE This research was the analytic research with case control
design. Research conducted from May to November 2017 in
The Category Nutritional Status Threshold SMA Negeri 3 Medan. The population in this research were the
Vey Skinny < - 3 SD students of SMA Negeri 3 Medan. The samples on this research
Skinny -3SD up to <-2 SD were 140 students with case group were 70 students and
Normal -2 SD up to +1 SD control group were 70 students. This sampling was based on
Overweight >1 SD up to +2 SD
case control design sampling formula with a comparison of
Obesity > +2 SD
case and control is 1:1. Inclusion criteria for the group of cases
are students with BMI index by age are > + 2 SD. The students
There are many factors influencing the incidence of obesity also are willing to be respondents by signing informed consent.
and several researches were conducted to reveal them. A The inclusion criteria for the control group students are normal
research in Surabaya showed that knowledge, physical factors, with BMI index by age are -2 SD to +1 SD and also willing to
and the rate of consumption of carbohydrates is the most be respondents by signing informed consent.
dominant factor against the risk of the occurrence of obesity The data about eating hbits, physical activities, and food
[8]. A similar study conducted among senior high school choices were collected by distributing the questionnaires to
students in Yogyakarta mentioned that several factors that respondents. The collected data was analyzed statistically by
affect the occurrence of obesity in teenagers were energy, fat, Chi-Square test with a confidence level of 95% and Odds Ratio
carbohydrate, the frequency of fast food and the breakfast (OR).
intake [9]. Research in Semarang showed that frequency of
snack and physical activity affected the incidence of obesity in III. RESULTS
adolescent [10].
Regarding the impact of the risks that can be caused by A. Characteristic of Subjects
obesity then precautionary measures is an important thing to Based on table II, it can be seen that the parents of obese
do. Knowing their risk factors of obesity, it is expected to do students who are working are more than not working, while
intervention program to prevent obesity especially in parents of non obese students who are not working are more
adolescent. than working. The education of students’ parents either obese
SMA Negeri 3 is a public senior high school. This school is or non obese are commonly completed Junior High School
one of the favorit schools in Medan. The survey in SMA Negeri above. Table II also showed that the income of students’
3 Medan found the prevalence of obesity is a 3,91%. This parents is almost the same in every level of income, either in
research aimed to analyze the relationship of eating habits, obese students and non-obese.
physical activities, food choices with obesity among high
school students.

TABLE II
CHARACTERISTIC OF SUBJECTS

Obesity Status
Characteristic Obesity Non Obesity
N % N %
Father’s occupation
Government officers 14 20 14 28
Indonesian Army 8 11.4 5 7.1
Private Employee 18 25.7 15 21.4
Self Employee 17 24.3 21 30
Others 11 15.7 13 18.6
Does not work 2 2.9 2 2.9
Mother’s occupation
Government officers 10 14.3 11 15.7
Indonesian Army 0 0 0 0
Private Employee 6 8.6 5 7.1
Self Employee 14 20 9 12.9
Others 26 37.1 8 11.4
Does not work 14 20 37 52.9
Father’s education
Uneducated 0 0 0 0
Completed Elementary 0 0 0 0
Completed Junior High School 1 1.4 2 2.9
Completed Senior High School 22 31.4 27 38.6

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Completed Academy/University 47 67.1 41 58.6

Mother’s Education
Uneducated 0 0 0 0
Completed Elementary 0 0 0 0
Completed Junior High School 2 2.9 2 2.9
Completed Senior High School 29 41.4 35 50
Completed Academy/University 39 55.7 33 47.1
Parent’s income (in Rupiahs)
< 2,000,000 2 2.9 5 7.1
2,000,000-3,000,000 15 21.4 14 20
3,000,000-5,000,000 29 41.4 31 44.3
>5,000,000 24 34.3 20 28.6

TABLE III
RELATIONSHIP OF EATING HABITS, PHISICAL ACTIVITY AND FOOD CHOICES WITH OBESITY

Case Control OR
Risk Factors p value
N % N % (95 % CI)
1. Eating Habits
a. Bad 47 67.1 30 42.9 0.006 2.72
b. Good 23 32.9 40 57.1 (1.37 – 5.41)
Total 70 100 70 100
2. Physical Activity
a. Light 60 85.7 50 71.4 0.038 2.40
b. Moderate 10 14.3 20 28.6 (1.02 – 5.59)
Total 70 100 70 100
3. Food Choice
a. Bad 40 57.1 22 31.4 0.004 2.90
b. Good 30 42.9 48 68.6 (1.45 – 5.81)
Total 70 100 70 100

2) Physical Activity: Physical activity is defined as any

B. Relationship of Eating Habits, Physical Activity and Eating bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires
Patterns with Obesity energy expenditure. This research showed that there was a
The result of the test shows that eating habits, physical relationship between physical activity and obesity (p = 0.038).
activity and food choices were associated with obesity as This was caused by light physical activity done by students
described in table III. This was indicated by p value (p < 0.05) both in school and home. These results were in line with the
for all variables. Refer to the odds ratio (OR) value, students research in Iran. The research indicated a significant
who have bad eating habits are 2.72 times in higher risk of relationship between activities of school-aged children in
obesity compared with students who have good eating habits. Zahedan, Iran with BMI as indicator of nutritional status [13].
Students who did light physical activity were 2.40 times in Other research in Yogyakarta also showed that physical
higher risk of obesity compared to students who did moderate activity was related with overweight / obesity among teenagers
physical activities. Students who had bad food choices were at [14]
risk of 2.90 times of being obesed compared with students who
had good food choices. 3) Food Choice: Food choice refers to how people choose
the food they eat. Many factors influence a person to choose
1) Eating Habits: The term of eating habits refers to why the food that will be consumed like environmental factors, the
and how people eat, what they eat, and with whom they eat, as food itself and individuals (consumers). This research shows a
well as the ways to obtain, store, use, and discard food. This relationship between food choice and obesity (p = 0,004). The
research indicates that eating habits are associated with obesity students prefer high energy content of food such as processed
(p = 0, 006). It was found that most students have habits of foods and sweet food. Food processing that selected generally
eating less like often not having breakfast, less consumption of are deep frying and baked. In addition, consumption of
vegetables and fruits, and often snacking. These results are in vegetables and fruit is also low. This result is also in line with
line with research in SMA Semen Padang that showed a several studies. The research of Azzrimaidaliza in adolescents
correlation between eating habit with obesity [11]. The study of of West Sumatera showed that teenagers have not varied in
Jenny et al, among obese school children of Mexico City choosing the food they consumed. Generally the way of food
found that eating habits were associated with the risk obesity processing more prefered by teenagers is fried, sauteed, and
[12]. baked [15]. These kinds of food make the teenagers are risk of
being obesed. Consuming variated food can meet the
nutritional needs. Study in Iran found that consuming some

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certain food groups (i.e. vegetables, fruits, legumes and dairy sectional study in the north-west of Iran,” Public Health Nutrition:
vol.9(8), pp .996–1000,.2006.
products) may decrease the risk of obesity [16].

IV. CONCLUSIONS
There is relationship of eating habits, physical activities,
food choices with obesity in SMA Negeri 3 Medan. Preventing
the obesity among the students by doing the intervention
programs refer to eating habits, physical activities, and food
choises is very important. Health promotion among the
students can be done by giving more informations about
nutrition to the students. School and parents should get
involved in this program.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I want to thank the Principal of SMA Negeri 3 Medan for
allowing this research to be conducted. I want also to thank all
teachers and students for their cooperations and supports
during this research.

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