Abstract
To survey the prevalence rates and associated factors of childhood obesity among intermediate male students in Taif City, Saudi Arabia. A school-based cross-sectional study was led in Taif city, 196 Normal healthy schoolboys they came from three classes (1st, 2nd and 3rd Intermediate classes) with a mean expected age of 13 years were agreed to fill out a questionnaire that included domains on measured children dietary, food types consumptions and activity habits, evaluate their home and school dietary conditions. Anthropometric measurements were recorded. The current study found that Obesity prevalence among intermediate school students in Al-Taif City was (17.9%), moreover children with positive Obesity was discovered to run in the family significantly more predicted, 3.23 folds more, to be obese compared to those with Negative obesity in family history, p=0.002, the Body Mass Index for the children suggested that 75% of them had a BMI equal to 27.3 or less, however by classifying their body mass Index into groups it was found that 68.4% had Normal weight for height ratio, but another 13.8% were slightly overweight, and 17.9% were clinically obese children given their age. The incidence of childhood obesity is changing and rising annually and is due to the family history of Saudi school-age children's obesity, dietary risk factors and physical activity. Its noteworthy to notice that the majority of overweight or obese school students came from high-income families. In order to avoid or control their children's obesity, parents must take the appropriate precautions for their children's diets and should follow a healthy lifestyle.