ArticleInternational health2024
An examination of the predictors of change in BMI among 38 026 school students in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Article in International health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Nutrition education and its public health impact in Saudi Arabia: a systematic review.Frontiers in public health · 2025Pooled it
- Prevalence and comorbidities of self-reported physician-diagnosed obesity among adults attending primary healthcare centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional survey.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Comment on: An examination of the predictors of change in BMI among 38 026 school students in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.International health · 2025Article
- Examining factors contributing to mortality in Saudi Arabia: proposing effective healthcare management approaches.BMC public health · 2025Article
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3 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundThe prevalence of childhood obesity has substantially increased in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Saudi Arabia. The Rashaka initiative is a Saudi national school-based multicomponent intervention that was introduced in the school year 2016-2017 to address childhood overweight and obesity. This study aims to examine the effect of the Rashaka initiative on students' body mass index (BMI) for two academic years (2016-2017 and 2018-2019) and to analyse predictors of BMI change.
methodsSecondary data for this pre-post study was provided by the Ministry of Health for 38 026 students from 89 intermediate and secondary schools that implemented the initiative in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia. It was analysed using non-parametric tests and multiple regressions at a 5% level of significance.
resultsOver 2 y of implementation, BMI was reduced significantly across the schools (p < 0.001). Based on the regression modelling, school gender and education stage were found to be the only significant predictors of BMI change. Girls and intermediate schools had greater BMI reductions than boys and secondary schools (p < 0.001 and p = 0.031).
conclusionsThis study provides tentative evidence for the effectiveness of the Rashaka intervention in Makkah City. In addition, our study has identified that the Rashaka initiative may require modification to improve its effect on boys and students in secondary schools.
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