Overweight and obesity among secondary school children in Hanoi, Vietnam and the related factors

Abstract

Overweight and obesity (OW/OB) have become a worldwide public health problem, which has negative health consequences and even double the burden of disease in a number of countries, including Vietnam. Therefore, determining factors that may influence OW/OB is necessary for early identification and targeted intervention. The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status (OW/OB) of secondary school children aged 11-12 years (6th-grade students) in Hanoi and the associated factors in order to facilitate early identification and targeted intervention. This study was conducted in four randomly selected schools in Ba Dinh and Dong Da districts in Hanoi with total of 821 students aged 11–12 years old participated in January 2014. The prevalence of overweight (18.9%) and obesity (32.4%) in boys were higher than in girls who were found with overweight (15.4%) and obesity (7.7%). There was the strongest statistical significance between triglycerides and BMI (r = 0.252, p < 0.001), the inverse significant of HDL-C and BMI (r = - 0.258, p < 0.001), and the correlation between LDL-C and BMI (r = 0.102, p = 0.003). Moreover, children with parental OW/OB were at higher risk of OW/OB than the others (father OW/OB (aOR =2.02, p < 0.001)); mother OW/ OB (aOR =2.83, p = 0.001); and high-birth-weight children had higher OW/OB risks of 1.52 times than normal-birthweight-children (aOR =1.52, p = 0.019). The Lipid profile (triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C), parental OW/OB and birth weight were associated factors with OW/OB among school children. For reducing the prevalence of OW/OB amongsecondary school children, an appropriate intervention program should be implemented timely in secondary schools.