FREQUENCY OF OBESITY AND ASSOCIATION OF DIETARY DIVERSITY AMONG CHILDREN IN RAWALPINDI; A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Keywords:
overweight, obesity, dietary diversity.Abstract
Introduction: The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased dramatically in recent decades leading to morbidity and an increased risk of non-communicable diseases later in life. In Pakistan childhood obesity has become a concerning issues yet limited data exists on its prevalence. Previously, it was thought that only children living in the developed countries were at the risk of being overweight and obese, however the new incoming data suggests otherwise. The vast majority of overweight or obese children live in developing countries, where the rate of increase has been more than 30% higher than that of developed countries.
Material & Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at two private schools of Rawalpindi from January 2023 to June 2023. A total of 139 Children between 5 to 12 years of age were recruited in the study through Stratified Random Sampling technique. The study was approved by the Ethical Review Committee (FUSH). Data was collected through a customized questionnaire. Body Mass Index (BMI) z-score was used to screen for overweight and obesity. Data was analyzed using SPSS.
Results: 4 out of 139 children were obese and hence the prevalence of obesity was 2% among the observed children. The children who consumed more than the recommended amounts of daily fruits (p=0.111), vegetables (p=0.018), dairy products (p=0.262), meat products (p=0.136), wheat products (p=0.094), water intake (p=0.247), fried food (p=0.024), sweets/sugar (p=0.009), and processed food (p=0.08) were more likely to be obese. Children with 60 minutes of daily physical activity were less likely to be obese. (p=0.021).
Conclusion: Childhood obesity remains relatively underrecognized in Pakistan, with approximately 2% of children aged 5-12 affected. There is a need for promoting healthy dietary habits, encouraging balanced consumption of fruits, vegetables, and water, while discouraging the intake of fried food, sweets/sugar, and processed food. Targeted and culturally appropriate interventions are necessary to foster a healthier lifestyle among children.
