Overweight and Obesity in the Iranian Schoolchildren

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing worldwide and is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Obesity during childhood can be harmful to the body. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among schoolchildren in Semnan Province, Iran. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 2195 schoolchildren (1102 girls, 1093 boys) aged 6-12 years were selected through random multistage sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisted of items including weight, height, gender, age, residential area, parents' education, housing status and access to computer. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated by dividing weight (Kg) by the square of height (m). Overweight was defined as a BMI ≥ 85th percentile and lower than the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex. Obesity was defined as a BMI ≥ 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex. Results: Results showed that 8.2% of schoolchildren were obese and 11.5% were overweight. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among girls were 11.9% and 8.0% and among boys were 11.1% and 8.3%, respectively. There was a significant relationship between obesity/overweight and housing status (OR = 1.53, 95%CI: 1.19-1.97, P = 0.001) and access to computer (OR = 1.49, 95%CI: 1.20-1.85, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Findings report a relatively high prevalence of obesity and overweight in schoolchildren of Semnan Province in Iran. More interventions are suggested to increase physical activity and limit the time children spend on personal computer games.