Abstract

Background: It is indeed ironic that a problem of “plenty”, which is childhood obesity has emerged while we are still fighting under-nutrition and infectious diseases. Hence it becomes important to “target” populations who are most in need of it [1].

Objectives: To develop age and gender-specific percentile curves in school-going children between the age group of 5 to 15 years, for the three parameters- waist circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, and waist for height ratio. Also, to find the prevalence of overweight and obesity in this age group of 5-15 years.

Study-design: Cross-sectional study over duration of two years.

Participants: 1070 children from the schools of Davangere, between the age group of 5 to 15 years, class UKG to 10.

Intervention: Height, weight, waist circumference, triceps skin-fold thickness has been measured using standard anthropometric methodology BMI and waist to height ratio has been calculated.

Outcomes: Percentile charts and centile curves have been obtained based on the above data, age-wise, and gender-wise. They have been compared with each other and prevalence from each parameter is obtained.

Results: The prevalence of overweight is 12 4% and obesity is 9 5%. It is much more according to newly obtained centile charts. Girls tend to be more obese than their counterparts. The centiles are of lesser values when compared to age and sex-matched centiles from studies done at metropolitan cities.

Conclusion: On comparison of detecting overweight and obese children based on WHO and IAP definitions of overweight or obesity, the above-mentioned parameters certainly provide us with false high or false positive results. But they serve us of particular help in understanding different aspects of obesity and its complications.