Prevalence of Obesity and its Influencing Factors in Affluent School Children of Tumkur: Lessons from South India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2015.04.02.8Keywords:
School children, Obesity, BMI, Prevalance.Abstract
Background: Obesity is defined by WHO “as a condition of abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in adipose tissue, to the extent that health may be impaired”. The problem of childhood obesity is quite high in rich and affluent countries.
- To estimate the prevalence of obesity among school children aged 6-15 years in three affluent schools of Tumkur.
- To study the influencing factors of obesity among school children.
Methods: Study Design: Case Control study.
Study Settings: Three affluent schools of Tumkur city, Karnataka, South India. Sample size was 2000 Students of three affluent schools and duration of study was from June to August 2014.
Each Child’s height and weight were measured by adopting standard procedure. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using BMI charts based on NCHS (national center for health statistics) standards. A child was considered obese if the BMI was > 95th percentile cutoff point which is specific to the age and sex of the child. To determine the association of (life style) influencing factors of obesity in children, mothers were interviewed in presence of children to gather information’ about their child’s daily (24 hour) activity.
Results: Out of 2000 children 66 were obese. The prevalence was 3.3% in school children in the age group of 6-15 years in three affluent schools of Tumkur. In our study, Prevalence of obesity was more in boys (3.47%) on comparison to girls (3.04%). There is increased prevalence of obesity in age group of six, eleven and twelve years. In this study 77.2% cases spent less than 2 hrs in a day and 22.7% cases spent more than 2 hrs in physical activities. Prevalence of obesity was more in children who spent less than 2 hrs in a day in physical activities. This was statistically significant.
Conclusions: Prevalence of obesity in school children aged 6-15 yrs is 3.3% in three affluent schools of Tumkur. Prevalence of obesity was more in boys on comparison with girls. Physical activity was the significant influencing factor of obesity among school children.
References
Shetty PS. Nutrition transition in India. Public Health Nutr 2002; 5: 175-82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/PHN2001291
Sirard JR, Pate RR. Physical activity and assessment in children and adolescents. Sports Med 2001; 31: 439-54. http://dx.doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200131060-00004
Raj M, Sundaram KR, Paul M, Deepa AS, Kumar RK. Obesity in Indian children: Time trends and relationship with hypertension. Natl Med J India 2007; 20: 288-93.
Canning H. Obesity its possible effect on college acceptance. New Engl J Med 1966; 275: 1172-4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJM196611242752107
WHO-TRS 894. Obesity preventing and managing global epidemic; Geneva; WHO 2000.
Growth Charts. [serial online] Available from: URL: http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts.htm Accessed November 15, 2009
Sheethal M. Obesity among school children (7-9 years old) in India, prevalence and related factors; public health and the environment: the 132nd annual meeting of APHA, Nov 6-10 2004.
Kapil U, Singh P, Pathak P, Dwivedi SN, Bhasin S. Prevalence of obesity among affluent adolescent school children in Delhi. Indian Paediatr 2002; 39: 449-52.
Ramachandran A, Snehalatha C, Vinitha R, et al. Prevalence of overweight in urban Indian adolescent school children. Diabetes Res Clinic Pract 2002; 57: 185-90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0168-8227(02)00056-6
Gupta AK, Ahmed AJ. Childhood obesity and hypertension. Indian Paediatr 1990; 39: 333-7.
Bhave S, Bavdekar A, Otiv M. IAP National Task Force for Childhood Prevention of Adult Diseases: Childhood Obesity. IAP National Task Force for Childhood Prevention of Adult Diseases: Childhood Obesity. Indian Paediatr 2004; 41: 559-75.
Laxmaiah A, Nagalla B, Vijayaraghavan K, Nair M. Factors affecting prevalence of overweight among 12- to 17-year-old urban adolescents in Hyderabad, India. Obesity 2007; 15: 1384-90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/oby.2007.165
Beaton GH. Nutritional problems of affluence. Nutrition in preventive medicine. WHO: 1976; No.62: 482-9
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Policy for Journals/Articles with Open Access
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post links to their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work
Policy for Journals / Manuscript with Paid Access
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Publisher retain copyright .
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post links to their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work .
