OP55 Childhood overweight and obesity at the start of primary school: external validation of pregnancy and early-life prediction models

Background: Childhood overweight and obesity is a major health problem in many low- and middle-income countries such as Nepal. There is evidence indicating a significant association between health and access to green space. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity, and to identify its association with green space among primary school children in Kathmandu metropolitan city, Nepal. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 440 (195 male and 245 female) students studying in selected primary schools of Kathmandu metropolitan city. Mothers/caretakers of the participating children were also studied. Results: Of the 440 children, 13.2% were overweight; 6.8% were obese. 4 of 16 studied variables that had significant associations with overweight/obesity in bivariate analyses, were found independent predictors of overweight/obesity after being adjusted for confounders. They included mode of transportation to school (aOR 2.08, 95% CI 1.12 to 3.88), consumption of sugary snack (aOR 2.57, 95% CI 1.12 to 5.91) and salty/savory snack (aOR 4.13, 95% CI 1.71 to 9.96), and the distance of a green space from child's residence (aOR 27.46, 95% CI 6.10 to 123.54). Conclusion: One-fifth of the children in urban schools were found to be overweight or obese. The distance to a green space was identified as the most significant factor influencing childhood overweight/obesity.

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Social, economic and demographic correlates of overweight and obesity in primary-school children: preliminary data from the Healthy Growth Study

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980010002247 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 13 (10A) ◽

pp. 1693-1700 ◽

Cited By ~ 60

Author(s):

George Moschonis ◽

Sofia Tanagra ◽

Anastasia Vandorou ◽

Aikaterini E Kyriakou ◽

Vasiliki Dede ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary School ◽

School Children ◽

Family Income ◽

Childhood Overweight ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Primary Caregiver ◽

Primary School Children ◽

Urban Region ◽

Annual Family Income ◽

Childhood Overweight And Obesity

AbstractObjectiveTo record the prevalence of overweight and obesity in urban primary-school children in relation to several socio-economic and demographic factors.DesignCross-sectional.Setting/subjectsA representative sample of 729 schoolchildren (379 male and 350 female), aged 9–13 years, stratified by parental educational level, was examined in the urban region of Athens. Weight and height were measured using standard procedures. The International Obesity Task Force thresholds were used for the definition of overweight and obesity. Several socio-economic and demographic data and the child’s ‘popularity’ score were also recorded with specifically designed standardized questionnaires.ResultsThe prevalence of overweight and obesity was 29·6 % and 11·1 %, respectively. Annual family income of €12 000–20 000 (OR = 1·58), residence ownership (OR = 1·63) and the grandmother as the child’s primary caregiver (OR = 1·38) were significantly associated with higher odds of childhood overweight and obesity. Non-Greek parental nationality (OR = 0·72) and higher ‘popularity’ scores of children (OR = 0·42) were significantly associated with lower odds of overweight and obesity. The grandmother as the child’s primary caregiver and an annual family income of €12 000–20 000 remained significantly associated with childhood overweight and obesity after adding all significant correlates of childhood overweight and obesity observed at the bivariate level in a multivariate regression model (OR = 1·51 and 1·61, respectively).ConclusionsAmong family income, residence ownership, child’s primary caregiver, parental nationality and popularity scores that were identified as significant correlates of childhood overweight and obesity at the bivariate level, lower family income and grandmother as the child’s primary caregiver were the only factors that remained significantly associated with childhood overweight and obesity at a multivariate level.

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