Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors and the Prevalence of Obesity Among Female Adolescents in Southern Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Authors

• Abdullah Hassan Alhalafi, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi ArabiaFollow
• Ibrahim Awad Eljack, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
• Abdullah M. Alshahrani, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
• Abubakar Mohammed Jibo, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
• Kamal Elden Alhassan, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
• Partha A. Nandi, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
• Rabia Farooq Jan, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
• Abeer Adel Alshaer, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
• Anwar Ali Alshehri, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
• Atheer Hameed Alqarni, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
• Albatool Khaled Alshahrani, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
• Amirah Monyf Alotybi, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
• Bushra Saeed Alshehri, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
• Fatmah Ali Shehab, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
• Mirnan Adel Alghamdi, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction: Adolescence is a critical period for establishing lifelong health habits; however, many unhealthy behaviors, such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, inadequate sleep, and smoking, are common. This study aimed to assess healthy lifestyle behaviors among female adolescents in Bisha, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a school-based cross-sectional study that examined lifestyle behaviors among 403 female adolescents (ages 15–19) in Bisha, Saudi Arabia. Using a multistage stratified cluster sampling method, data were collected through a validated questionnaire and analyzed using IBM SPSS 29. Results: Out of 403 female adolescents, 4.7% of participants were obese, while 57.1% had a normal BMI. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors were prevalent, including low levels of physical activity with an average of 2.43 days of exercise per week, mostly low-intensity (69.2%) and home-based (85.1%). Sleep patterns indicated that 19.9% experienced insufficient sleep and 59.1% overslept. Dietary habits were concerning: 77.7% did not consume fresh fruits, 75.4% consumed energy drinks, and 58.1% consumed fast food. Additionally, 40.9% consumed sugary or soft drinks, and 32.8% regularly consumed sweets and chocolates. Binary logistic regression identified weekday sleep duration as the only lifestyle factor significantly associated with obesity (p = 0.049). Conclusion: These findings highlight the coexistence of multiple unhealthy behaviors among female adolescents and underscore the need for integrated interventions addressing diet, physical activity, and sleep rather than focusing on single behaviors in isolation.

Recommended Citation

Alhalafi, Abdullah Hassan; Eljack, Ibrahim Awad; Alshahrani, Abdullah M.; Jibo, Abubakar Mohammed; Alhassan, Kamal Elden; Nandi, Partha A.; Jan, Rabia Farooq; Alshaer, Abeer Adel; Alshehri, Anwar Ali; Alqarni, Atheer Hameed; Alshahrani, Albatool Khaled; Alotybi, Amirah Monyf; Alshehri, Bushra Saeed; Shehab, Fatmah Ali; and Alghamdi, Mirnan Adel (2026) "Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors and the Prevalence of Obesity Among Female Adolescents in Southern Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study," University of Bisha Journal for Basic and Applied Sciences: Vol. 2: Iss. 2, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.65073/3122-3508.1022
Available at: https://ubjbas.ub.edu.sa/home/vol2/iss2/5