Childhood Overweight and Obesity in Morocco: A Systematic Review

Mohamed  El Mossaoui; Amina  Barkat

doi:10.6000/1929-4247.2024.13.03.1

Authors

Mohamed El Mossaoui University in Rabat, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Research Team on Health and Nutrition of Mother and Child, Morocco and National Reference Center for Neonatology and Nutrition, Children’s Hospital, Ibn Sina University Hospital Centre, Rabat 10000, Morocco https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9259-2135
Amina Barkat University in Rabat, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Research Team on Health and Nutrition of Mother and Child, Morocco and National Reference Center for Neonatology and Nutrition, Children’s Hospital, Ibn Sina University Hospital Centre, Rabat 10000, Morocco

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2024.13.03.1

Keywords:

Obesity, overweight, moroccan children, boys, girls, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference

Abstract

Introduction: Childhood overweight and obesity have become pervasive forms of malnutrition affecting Moroccan children, exerting significant impacts on their physical growth and psychological development.

Objective: This study aims to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the epidemiological landscape surrounding childhood overweight and obesity in Morocco. Additionally, it seeks to evaluate the efficacy of national strategies and nutrition programs implemented by the Moroccan Ministry of Health.

Methods: This study gathered data from reputable sources, employing a systematic review approach, including Pubmed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. The selected articles focused on overweight and obesity within the Moroccan population, with the search period spanning from 2010 to 2020.

Results: The study unveiled many factors associated with childhood overweight and obesity. Intriguingly, overweight is not always synonymous with childhood obesity, though it remains a critical contributing factor.

Conclusion: Childhood overweight and obesity in Morocco show severe forms of malnutrition, eliciting significant concerns within the Moroccan academic community. An urgent imperative is to enhance existing strategic plans to address this issue effectively.

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