Volume : 7, Issue : 5, May - 2018

A Study on Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in School Children from Salem

Dr. P. Kanimozhi, Dr. R. Vasumathy, Dr. E. Kandasamy Alias Kumar

Abstract :

<p>&nbsp;Aim: (1) To measure the height, weight and body mass index (BMI) of school children from salem and develop</p> <div>charts as appropriate for age, gender and socio-economic status.(2) To 􀃶nd out the prevalence of overweight and</div> <div>obesity in school children from low and uppers socioeconomic status (LSES and USES respectively).</div> <div>Studydesign: Cross sectional study</div> <div>Methods: Government schools (non-fee paying) and Private Schools (fee paying) in salem . 484 children, 242 (122 boys, 120 girls) from</div> <div>government schools and 242 (124boys, 118 girls) from private schools. Methods: Assessment of height and weight and calculation of BMI</div> <div>were done for all children . Children were classi􀃶ed as normal, overweight and obese as per IOTF guidelines. Prevalence of overweight and</div> <div>obesity was assessed and analysed between the two socio-economic groups.</div> <div>Results: A signi􀃶cant difference was noted in height, weight and BMI between LSES and USES. Overweight and obesity prevalence of in</div> <div>upper socio economic group children was 17.5% and 7.1% in boys and 8.1% and 3.2% in girls respectively.</div> <div>Conclusions: There is a signi􀃶cant variation in anthropometric measurements between children from USES and Lower socio economic</div> <div>group , with a high prevalence of overweight and obesity in USES children.</div>