Objective: We aimed to investigate the prevalence of obesity
and overweight and their relationship with environmental factors
among children aged 5-10 years in a primary school in an Istanbul
district.
Materials and Methods: The data of this cross-sectional
study were collected from a random selection of 177 students and
their families. Students’ heights and weights were measured in a
standardized way for calculating their body mass index. The World
Health Organization growth reference was used for the definition
of obesity and overweight status.
Results: The prevalence of obesity and overweight was
12.4% and 20.9%, respectively, with no difference between girls
and boys. A significant increase in the percentage of obesity and
overweight was observed with increasing age (p = 0.001). Having
an obese or overweight father (p = 0.001) and a working mother
(p=0.003) were associated with an increase in childhood obesity.
Conclusion: The findings of this study imply that obesity
or overweight among primary school children is associated with
increasing age, having an obese or overweight father and having a
working mother. State organizations, schools, physicians and other
healthcare professionals must work together to encourage children
and their families to adopt healthy lifestyles and to improve their
awareness of obesity
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Clinical Sciences |
| Journal Section | Research Article |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | May 31, 2019 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2019 Volume: 32 Issue: 2 |