OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY AMONG STUDENTS IN SELECTED JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MORO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KWARA STATE

ABSTRACT Introduction: Overweight and obesity among school-aged children have become significant global public health concerns. Overweight means having more body fat than is healthy. A child is typically being overweight can cause several health problems, such as high blood pressure, blood sugar issues (like diabetes), joint pain, and emotional problems like low confidence or feeling left out. Methodology: The objective of this study is to determine overweight and obesity among students in selected junior secondary schools in Moro Local Government Area, Kwara State. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), and the results were presented using descriptive statistics such as mean, frequencies, and percentages, as well as frequency tables. The Chi-square test was used to determine any association between categorical variables, and the level of significance was set at p < 0.05, with a sample of 410 among junior secondary school as the target demographic. The data was collected by the utilization of self-structure administered questionnaire. Result: The researcher utilized a significance level of p < 0.05. aged 11–14 years. A total of 57.1% of respondents have a mean age of 15 ± 5.5 years. The majority (53.7%) are female, and 49.0% are in JSS3. About 40.2% and 40.5% of respondents fall within specific weight categories, while 59.8% are within a particular height range. A significant majority (89.3%) are classified as having a normal weight. About 38.3% of respondents consume sugary soft drinks, such as cola, two to three times per week. A notable 42.2% eat fried foods or snacks, like buns, on a daily basis. Nearly half (45.6%) reported never consuming fast food, such as pizza or shawarma. Just over half (51.0%) understand obesity to mean being excessively fat. A large proportion (90.2%) of respondents engage in physical activities or exercise. About 42.4% reported engaging in physical activity 1–2 times per week. Conclusion and Recommendation: This reflects a perception of good health and may indicate either a true absence of obesity or a gap in weight perception and health education among adolescents and their caregivers. Community sports programs and clean, safe spaces for physical activity should be encouraged and supported. Keywords: Overweight, underweight, obesity, prevalence, risk factors, knowledge,physical activities, Junior secondary school, Moro, Local Government, Kwara State, Nigeria