Prevalence and correlates of overweight/obesity among adolescents in an urban city of north India

Abstract

Background and objectives: Obesity and overweight is a growing pandemic affecting millions of adolescents in developed as well as developing countries. Obesity is associated with the onset of major chronic diseases leading to complications and also psychosocial problems in adolescents. The greater concern is that the risks of obesity during childhood will persist into adolescence and adulthood. The objectives of the study were to assess the prevalence of being overweight and obesity and to study the associated risk factors.

Materials and methods: 1900 adolescents in the age group of 10-19 years were included in the study. A predesigned and pretested questionnaire which included the variables such as going to school by bus or cycle, eating habits, playing video/computer games or outdoor games and sibling count were recorded. Body weight and height were recorded in subjects for calculating body mass index (BMI). International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) classification was used for the estimation of being overweight and obese.

Results: The mean age of the study subjects was 14.84 years (SD = 2.81). Mean weight increased from 34.7 to 55.09 kg from the age group 10-13 to 17-19 years. Mean height also increased from 1.34 to 1.57 m from the age group 10-13 to 17-19 years. Similarly, the mean body mass index was 19.23 at 10-13 years, followed by 21.11 at 14-16 years and 22.46 at 17-19 years. On binary logistic regression analysis, female gender, bus as a mode of transport, not playing games, and single sibling were found to have independent association with prevalence of being overweight.

Keywords: Adolescents; anthropometry; body mass index; obesity; overweight.

Figure 1

Line diagram for 85th and 95th percentile of BMI for male study subjects

Figure 2

Line diagram for 85th and 95th percentile of BMI for female study subjects