Prevalence of Low Obesity and High Under Nutrition in Socio Economic Status of School Childrens

Changing trends in body weights in children is important for public health policy. It can be said that children in developing countries presently suffer from double jeopardy of malnutrition. Urban children are afflicted with problems of over-nutrition while rural and slum children suffer from effects of undernutrition. To determine changing trends in nutritional status, body-mass index and obesity in school children aged 11-17 years are considered. All children being admitted in a government school in Warangal, Andhra Pradesh were evaluated in the year 2007 and 2008. Height was measured using a standard tape and weight was measured using a well-calibrated sprig balance. 442 school children were examined in the year 2007 and 374 in the year 2008 in classes 6^th to 12^th. There is an increasing trend in height, weight and BMI with increasing age in both the 2007 and 2008 years. In the year 2007, 11% were overweight and 5% were obese while in the year 2008, 10% were overweight and 6% were obese. Overweight corresponding to adult BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m² was present in 2% school children in both the examinations while the prevalence of obesity corresponding to adult BMI of >30 kg/m² was present in very small number (0.2% and 0.3%). At all the age groups there was a high prevalence of wasting in both examination, in 2007 wasting was present in 36.4% school children and in the year 2008 in 26.2% school children. There was a significant decline in prevalence of wasting from the year 2007 (36.4%) to the year 2008 (26.2%). The above results stated the need of urgent dietary intervention programme. Further studies are required to investigate into problem and to supplement the key nutrient which is required to ensure a good nutritional status in children.