Determination of Obesity and Overweight among Urban Adolescents in India

Abstract

The present study was conducted with aims to access the prevalence of overweight and obesity among urban adolescents and to study various factors associated with overweight and obesity. Obesity is defined as the abnormal expansion of adipose tissue brought on by a rise in the size, the quantity, or both of fat cells. Given their increasing nutritional needs, eating habits, lifestyle, and vulnerability to external factors, adolescents are a particularly sensitive age group in terms of nutrition.
A community based cross sectional study of 872 adolescents of both sexes in urban population of Pune, Maharashtra, India was conducted to assess prevalence and various factors influencing overweight and obesity, especially type of diet, frequency of junk foods, physical activity and sleeping habits. The Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) were used to define overweight and obesity as per WHO growth standards.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity in urban adolescents according to BMI were 17.4% and 6.9% respectively with overall prevalence being 24.3% but with Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) it was 43.1%. Risk factors in urban areas were consumption of fast/junk food, carbonated drink, physical inactivity while afternoon sleep was not a significant factor.
According to this study, there is a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity among urban adolescents, particularly among those who consume more fast food and carbonated beverages and who engage in less than 30 minutes of physical activity each day. . Large scale nationwide campaigns targeted at more specific groups are required to check the growing epidemic of childhood obesity in developing countries.