A Scoping Review of the Biological, Socioeconomic and Environmental Determinants of Overweight and Obesity Among Middle Eastern and Northern African Nationalities

Abstract

Objectives: Globally, and particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, overweight and obesity have become serious public health concerns. This scoping review aimed to identify and summarise the available data on the determinants of overweight and obesity among MENA nationalities. Methods: An extensive search of electronic databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed and ProQuest, for articles published from 2007 until 2022 was conducted. A total of 10 articles, of the 333 that were found in the original search, met the inclusion criteria. Data extraction and quality assessment were applied to each of the selected studies. Results: There is an intricate interplay of anthropometric, behavioural, sociodemographic and environmental factors that caused overweight and obesity in this population. Conclusions: A thorough synthesis of the factors influencing overweight and obesity in MENA nationalities was provided by this scoping review.

Keywords: Overweight; Obesity; Body Mass Index; Saudi Arabia; Oman.