Veerasangamesh Moola1, Balram Banoth2, Nagu Eslavath3
BACKGROUND
Overweight
and obesity represent a rapidly growing threat to the health of population in an increasing number of countries.
Indeed, these are now so common that they are replacing more traditional problems such as under nutrition and infectious
diseases as the most significant causes of ill health.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The present study was undertaken in 5 schools catering Warangal city. The age groups included in the study were between 5
15 years of age. Out of 3352 children included in the study, 2188 (65.27%) we re males and 1164 (34.73%) were females.
RESULTS
14.4% of the children were obese
and in that, females (17%) were slightly more in number than males (13%). Obese children
had significantly higher caloric intake than non obese children. There was a signif icant relationship between b irth weight of the
child and development of obesity in the later age. Significant relationship was found between obesity in children and their
parental BMI. There was no significant difference in physical activity between obese, overweight and non obese group.
Sedentary behavio u r had a significant association with the obese group when compared to the non obese group. There was a
significant relationship between sedentary behaviour with overweight and obesity. Pre hypertension and hypertension were
found to be significantly higher in the obese group when compared to the non obese group and in the obese group this was
more predominant in the age group of 11 15 than the 5 10 years age group.
CONCLUSION
Timely intervention will result in decreased adulthood morbidity and mortality due to obesity in these children.
