Association between health examination items and body mass index among school children in Hualien, Taiwan

Chia-Hsiang Chu,Rong-Hwa Jan,Chih-Hao Huang,Ching-Feng Cheng,Jen-Hung Wang

doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-975

Abstract

BackgroundTo assess the prevalence of obesity and major physical examination items including dental caries, myopia, pinworm, hematuria, and proteinuria among school children in Hualien, Taiwan. In addition, the health status differences between gender, grader, levels of residence urbanization, and body mass index (BMI) were examined.MethodsCross-sectional studies with a total of 11,080 students (age, 7–14 years) in grades 1, 4, and 7 were evaluated for weight, height, routine physical examination, and urine analysis during the 2010 Student Health Examination in Hualien. Frequencies, Chi-square test, and logistic regression were conducted using SPSS.ResultsOf the 11,080 students evaluated, 1357 (12.2%) were overweight, and 1421 (12.8%) were obese. There were significant differences in overweight/obese prevalence by gender, by grader, and by levels of residence urbanization. Dental caries, myopia, and obesity were the most prevalent health problems among these students (75.6%, 33.0%, and 12.8%, respectively). In crude and adjusted analyses, research results showed that there were significant differences in the prevalence of major physical examination items between different gender, grader, levels of residence urbanization, and BMI groups. Girls had a higher prevalence of dental caries, myopia, and hematuria than boys (all p < 0.01), whereas boys had a higher prevalence of pinworm than girls (p = 0.02). Students in higher grades had significantly higher prevalence of myopia, hematuria, and proteinuria (all p < 0.01), whereas students in lower grades had higher prevalence of dental caries and pinworm (p < 0.01). Students with abnormal BMI had lower prevalence of pinworm (p < 0.01). Students residing in suburban and rural areas had higher prevalence of dental caries, pinworm, and hematuria (all p < 0.01), and lower prevalence of myopia than students residing in urban areas (all p < 0.01).ConclusionRoutine health examination provides an important way to detect students’ health problems. Our study elucidated major health problems among school children in Hualien, Taiwan. In addition, the results also indicated that the prevalence of health problems had a significant relationship with gender, grader, levels of residence urbanization, and BMI. It is suggested that school health interventions should consider students’ health profiles along with their risk factors status in planning.

Highlights

To assess the prevalence of obesity and major physical examination items including dental caries, myopia, pinworm, hematuria, and proteinuria among school children in Hualien, Taiwan
This study explored the morbidity of common health problems among school-age children in Hualien and examined the health status differences between gender, grader, levels of residence urbanization, and body mass index (BMI)
To clarify whether BMI was associated with a higher risk of abnormal for common health problems, logistic regression with consideration of the factors, including gender, grader, levels of residence urbanization, and body mass index (BMI), simultaneously was performed

Summary

Introduction

To assess the prevalence of obesity and major physical examination items including dental caries, myopia, pinworm, hematuria, and proteinuria among school children in Hualien, Taiwan. As a means of primary prevention, many studies suggest that physical examinations provide an avenue for identifying high-risk groups among school-aged children and provide clues for secondary prevention [8,9]. Physical examinations initiated when children are of elementary school age can provide a good means for tracking physical development and health problems, which can in turn provide parents, schools, and health professionals more information for use in the early prevention and treatment of these problems [11]. One study has shown that dental caries, myopia, and obesity are the most prevalent health problems among 1st graders of public elementary schools [12]. Detection of hematuria and proteinuria can indicate renal or bladder disease [14]

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