Prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents in South Indian population

Prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents in South Indian population Gayathri D.1*, Syamily2, Kulandaivel M.3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17511/ijmrr.2020.i06.05 1* Gayathri D., Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College and Research center, Ariyur, Pondicherry, India. 2 Syamily, Post-Graduate, Department of Pediatrics, Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College and Research center, Ariyur, Pondicherry, India. 3 Kulandaivel M., Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College and Research center, Ariyur, Pondicherry, India.


Introduction
Childhood obesity is one of the global public health challenges of the 21st century, affecting every country in the world. Globally, in just 40 years the prevalence of obesity has raised more than 10-fold from 11 million to 124 million in school-age children and adolescents according to a 2016 estimate [1]. With modernization, overweight/obesity is also rapidly growing in many developing countries. The world today faces a double burden of malnutrition which includes both undernutrition and overweight. Due to the difficulty in the treatment of obesity in adults and many long-term side effects of childhood obesity, prevention of childhood obesity has now been recognized as a public health priority [5]. In India, the emergence of childhood obesity presents a cause for concern because of recent changes in lifestyle and economic development [6].
Obesity is now emerging as a common nutritional disorder. It usually results when food consumption is more than one's physiological needs [7]. National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) data observed high obesity levels in urban slums indicating that obesity is now affecting the urban poor also [8].
Complications of adult obesity are made worse if obesity begins in childhood [9].
In this study, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 11-14 years of school children in a private school in Urban Pondicherry is estimated using BMI, Waist circumference (WC), and Waist Height Ratio (WHtR).

Methodology
Study setting: This study is a school-based crosssectional study done among 11-14 years old school children from a selected private school in urban Pondicherry.

Duration:
The study was carried out for 6months from June 2019 to December 2019. The study population was selected randomly and the sample size was calculated to be using Open Epi Version 3.01 (formula Z2pq/d2,) where "p" was considered the maximum of 13.04%, absolute precision of 5%, 95% confidence interval, and alpha error of 5%. [10] Inclusion criteria:

Exclusion criteria:
Study procedure: The sample population was selected from one private school in Pondicherry.
Students of age group 11-14 years were included in this study. The study was conducted after getting permission from school management through the proper channel. The study was carried out during break time after getting consent from participants.
A performa was used for collecting requisite information from students.  The participants in the study were evenly distributed from 11 to 14years with an almost equal number of the study population in each age. In the present study, girls dominated the study population with 55.3% and boys were 44. 7%. In the present study, the strength of students was evenly distributed in each age so as it was reflected in the class of standard from 6th to 9th. In the present study, it was found that more students had both indoor and outdoor activity with 54.0%. In the present study, it was observed that less than 50% of the students were involved in the household activities though girls dominated in the study population strength. In the present study concerning the duration of time spent on TV and mobile were 1-2 hrs was more than 70%. In the present study, 94% of the students were non-vegetarians and only 6% were vegetarians. In the present study, it was found that the convention of three meals was dominant with 86% and only 14% with more than three meals.  In the present study, it was found more than 70% of the students dine outside once or twice a week and only 19.3% of the students do not dine outside at all. In the present study, it was found less than 50% that is only 44% of the students found to eat unhealthy food outside, and more than 50% that is 56% do not eat unhealthy food. In the present study, the number of students who were overweight is 27 (18%), Obese is 9(6%) and normal BMI is 114 (76%).  In the present study based on waist circumference, 22.7% were obese, and based on waist/height ratio was 18.7%.

Discussion
The results of the present study conducted in 11 to 14 years old school children in a private school of urban Pondicherry to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity shows that the prevalence of overweight is 18% (N=27) and Obesity is 6% (N=9) based on BMI. The prevalence of obesity in the present study is on par with the study conducted by Vishnu Prasad et al [11] in 2015 where obesity was 4.3% conducted in Pondicherry whereas the prevalence of overweight was 9.7%, found to be lesser than the present study. Similarly, a study conducted in Kerala showed that prevalence was 3 % for boys, 5.3 % for girls. Prevalence of obesity (7.5 %), overweight (21.9 %) were highest among high-income group and lowest (1.5 % and 2.5 %) among low-income group [12]. The present study also shows a higher prevalence rate of overweight/obesity among girls, as did a previous study done in Chennai [15]. In this study, overweight/obesity is seen slightly increasing with age and their level of study and is more common in boys than girls. From this study, overweight /obesity is seen commonly in students who spend more time in screen viewing such as watching television/mobile phones /computer, and in students who play Indoor games, and in students who don't spend time involved in household activities, and in students who eat non -vegetarian food, and in students who dine out more often, and in students who consume meal frequently, and in students who eat unhealthy snacks (pizza, burger, ice cream, shawarma) and aerated drinks. These were found to be the risk factors predisposing to overweight /obesity in school children

Limitations
Study population was less and only private school was selected which will have a bias in the nutritional status and socioeconomic of the study population. What does the study add to the existing knowledge?
The present study gives an impact of increasing incidence of overweight and obesity among children which will be a greater impact at a later age which will lead to a burden on the health care system with the increasing incidence of non-communicable disease. Thus changing life study also has contribution which has to have a modification for a healthier society.
Author's contribution