Abstract

Background: Among emerging public health problems globally, obesity remains a major cause associated with number of cardiovascular diseases.

Objectives: Thus, the aim of present research work is to study the factors associated with overweight and obesity among schoolgoing adolescent girls.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2400 schoolgoing adolescent girls in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, India from June 2016 to May 2017. Multistage sampling was used for enrolment of the study subjects. A pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire was used for obtaining information related to biosocial, dietary, and physical activity-related information. Body weight and height were recorded for calculating body mass index (BMI). The WHO BMI-for-age cutoff classification of girls was used for the assessment of overweight and obesity.

Results: On multivariate analysis, middle- and upper-socioeconomic status (odds ratio [OR]: 11.82; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.01–13.63, P = 0.00), general category (OR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.98–2.26, P = 0.03), urban residence (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.32–2.36, P = 0.01), mode of travel to school via bus (OR: 9.82; 95% CI: 7.56–10.08, P = 0.00), absence of outdoor physical activity (OR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.66–1.94, P = 0.03), non-intake of vegetables everyday (OR: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.69–2.73, P = 0.00), and non-vegetarian dietary habits (OR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.83–2.33, P = 0.01) were found to be the independent predictors of obesity and overweight among schoolgoing adolescent girls.

Conclusion: There is need for comprehensive school-based awareness interventions with health education packages to focus importance of healthy nutrition and lifestyle for preventing obesity.

Key words: Adolescents; Obesity; Overweight