Overweight and obesity prevalence in primary and secondary school students in Tiantai County, Zhejiang Province

Abstract

Objective To study the current epidemiological situation of overweight and obesity among primary and middle school students in Tiantai County, Zhejiang Province. Methods Stratified cluster random sampling was adopted for field investigation of primary and secondary school students in Tiantai County. Body height, weight and body mass index (BMI) were calculated, and overweight and obesity were diagnosed according to Classification Criterion of BMI for Overweight and Obesity of Chinese Preschool Children. Overweight and obesity were compared among students of different genders, ages, as well as in urban and rural areas. Results In all 10 595 students, the prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were 11.73% (1 243 cases) and 8.99% (952 cases) , respectively. The total rate of overweight and obesity was high in students of 7 years old, and it decreased in students of 7-12 years old (χ2trend=53.04, P 0.05) . The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were higher in boys (χ2= 124.63 and 38.00, P both<0.01) and in urban areas (χ2=10.70 and 49.66, P both<0.01) . Conclusions The incidence of obesity in primary and middle school students in Tiantai is more serious in boys than in girls. Overweight and obesity appear at younger ages. Key words: Overweight; Obesity; Epidemiology