Rise In Childhood Obesity Research Articles

A bibliometric analysis of research on physical activity and fitness among preschool children in Asia (2020-2024)

Background: Physical activity (PA) and physical fitness (PF) are essential for preschool children's development. However, rising childhood obesity and sedentary lifestyles are concerning. A comprehensive analysis of the research landscape is necessary to inform better interventions and policies. Research Objectives: This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of research on physical activity and physical fitness among preschool children in Asia from 2020 to 2024. Methods: The analysis was based on publications from Scopus and Web of Science, focussing on keyword co-occurrence, citation analysis, and co-authorship networks. We used tools like ScientoPy and VOSviewer to assess key metrics such as the number of publications, citations, and influential contributors. Findings/Results: The study reveals significant trends, with a peak in research productivity in 2022, reflecting heightened global attention on early physical health. China, Japan, and Iran led contributions, with China dominating in publication volume. Notable researchers included Saeed Ghorbani and emerging contributors Ahmad Chaeroni and Amir Dana. Leading journals, such as the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and Frontiers in Public Health, were prominent sources. Conclusion: Despite a decline in productivity post-2022, PA and PF research for preschoolers remains important. These shifting trends provide opportunities for researchers to explore new areas or innovate approaches. Significant contributions from Asian researchers also indicate a geographic shift in the global research focus. This study also highlights the importance of physical activity in preschoolers and how trends in scientific publications can help policymakers formulate more effective interventions to improve children's fitness.

Weighing the future: strategic measures against rising childhood obesity.

Weighing the future: strategic measures against rising childhood obesity.

A systems thinking framework for understanding rising childhood obesity in the Caribbean

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to develop a systems thinking framework to describe the common complexities of childhood obesity in the Caribbean region and identify potential areas of intervention.MethodsGroup model building (GMB) is a form of systems science. Trained GMB facilitators in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago convened a group of multi-disciplinary stakeholders in a series of virtual meetings in 2021 to elaborate a hypothesis of the system driving childhood obesity represented by causal loop diagrams (CLD). Commonalities and differences between the CLDs from each island were identified and reconciled to create a synthesized CLD.ResultsA single explanatory CLD across the islands was developed and includes nine reinforcing loops. These loops addressed the interconnected role of schools, policy, commercial determinants, community and the personal experience of the child in rising childhood obesity rates.ConclusionsDespite differences across settings, there is a core system driving childhood obesity in the Caribbean, as described by stakeholders in GMB workshops. Policy solutions to the problem must be multi-faceted and multi-level to address the interlinked reinforcing loops of the complex system and reduce rates of childhood obesity.

Assessment of physical literacy in 8- to 12-year-old Pakistani school children: reliability and cross-validation of the Canadian assessment of physical literacy-2 (CAPL-2) in South Punjab, Pakistan

BackgroundThe increasing prevalence of physical inactivity, declining fitness, and rising childhood obesity highlight the importance of physical literacy (PL), as a foundational component for fostering lifelong health and active lifestyle. This recognition necessitates the development of effective tools for PL assessment that are applicable across diverse cultural landscapes.AimThis study aimed to translate the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy-2 (CAPL-2) into Urdu and adapt it for the Pakistani cultural context, to assess PL among children aged 8–12 years in Pakistan.MethodThe Urdu version of CAPL-2 was administered among 1,360 children aged 8–12 from 87 higher secondary schools across three divisions in South Punjab province, Pakistan. Statistical analysis includes test-retest reliability and construct validity, employing confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate the tool’s performance both overall and within specific subdomains.ResultsThe Urdu version of CAPL-2 demonstrated strong content validity, with a Content Validity Ratio of 0.89. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the four-factor structure proposed by the original developers, evidenced by excellent model fit indices (GFI = 0.984, CFI = 0.979, TLI = 0.969, RMSEA = 0.041). High internal consistency was observed across all domains (α = 0.988 to 0.995), with significant correlations among most, excluding the Knowledge and Understanding domains. Notably, gender and age significantly influenced performance, with boys generally scoring higher than girls, with few exceptions.ConclusionThis study marks a significant step in the cross-cultural adaptation of PL assessment tools, successfully validating the CAPL-2 Urdu version for the Pakistani context for the first time. The findings affirm the tool’s suitability for assessing PL among Pakistani children, evidencing its validity and reliability across the Pakistani population.

Hurried Child Syndrome: Are we Creating an Advanced Generation or Destroying it?

Parents who overschedule their children, put a lot of pressure on them to succeed academically, and want them to act and behave like tiny adults beyond their mental, social, or emotional capabilities are considered to be suffering from the disease known as "hurried child syndrome." Due to this, there has been a 50% rise in childhood obesity, a tripling in suicide and murder rates, 15-20% of young children are "flunking" kindergarden and millions of children are medicated in order to make them more 'controllable' at home and in school over the last 20 years. notably typical symptoms are headaches, diarrhoea, hyperactivity, cramping in the muscles, insomnia, digestive issues, and bedwetting. Drug and alcohol dependency is currently the most prevalent cause of death among adolescents, moreover, suicide incidents are also rising. About 70% of teenage girls will not be virgins by the time they reach adulthood, and 40% of those who are sexually active will become pregnant. The most significant aspect is to pay close attention to the adolescents and attempt to comprehend their unique needs and abilities. It's wonderful if a child loves education and engaging in extracurricular activities, but if they are having difficulty or are resistant, it's best to step back and give them space to learn as much as they can at their own pace.

The current state of paediatric non-medical prescribing

Prescribing for children and young people highlights many complex issues that may not be relevant in other fields of non-medical prescribing. Ongoing changes to legislation pose challenges, requiring paediatric non-medical prescribers to be vigilant in their daily prescribing practice. This article aims to address pertinent challenges and barriers frequently seen in prescribing for children and young people, including not only organisational and human factors, but also legal issues, controversial prescribing, education, the impact of the recent Covid-19 pandemic, and how that has influenced the rise in childhood obesity, in itself an important element.

Perinatal metabolic inflammation in the hypothalamus impairs the development of homeostatic feeding circuitry.

Over the past few decades, there has been a global increase in childhood obesity. This rise in childhood obesity contributes to the susceptibility of impaired metabolism during both childhood and adulthood. The hypothalamus, specifically the arcuate nucleus (ARC), houses crucial neurons involved in regulating homeostatic feeding. These neurons include proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and agouti-related peptide (AGRP) secreting neurons. They play a vital role in sensing nutrients and metabolic hormones like insulin, leptin, and ghrelin. The neurogenesis of AGRP and POMC neurons completes at birth; however, axon development and synapse formation occur during the postnatal stages in rodents. Insulin, leptin, and ghrelin are the essential regulators of POMC and AGRP neurons. Maternal obesity and postnatal overfeeding or a high-fat diet (HFD) feeding cause metabolic inflammation, disrupted signaling of metabolic hormones, netrin-1, and neurogenic factors, neonatal obesity, and defective neuronal development in animal models; however, the mechanism is unclear. Within the hypothalamus and other brain areas, there exists a wide range of interconnected neuronal populations that regulate various aspects of feeding. However, this review aims to discuss how perinatal metabolic inflammation influences the development of POMC and AGRP neurons within the hypothalamus.

Alaska Native Parents' Decision-Making About Food, Beverages, and Screen Time for Young Children: Formative Insights From the "Got Neqpiaq?" Project.

With rising childhood obesity rates, ensuring children adopt healthy habits early is imperative. Given the unique context for Alaska Native families living in rural remote communities, who are concurrently experiencing changes in traditional practices, we investigated what impacts parents' decisions as they relate to daily living before revising a preschool curriculum focused on healthy habits. The objective of this study was to explore factors influencing parents' decisions about their children's foods, beverages, and activities. In focus group discussions with AN parents of young children across 12 communities, we asked about meals, traditional foods, beverages, physical activity, and screen time. All sessions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using open and selective coding to allow the most important themes to emerge. As parents discussed how they make decisions, several trends emerged related to adults' and children's food and beverage preferences; the impact of adult modeling on children; and how convenience, seasonality, access, and a reluctance to engage in conflict all impact decision-making. Parents and other community members shared important perspectives on exposing children to traditional subsistence foods and activities and passing important traditional knowledge to them at an early age. These perspectives will form the basis for preschool curricula in these communities.

91 The Association between Home Confinement during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Children’s Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables and Sugar-containing Beverages

Abstract Background Children tend to gain more weight during summer breaks compared to the school year. It has been identified that school routines regulate obesogenic behaviours, as children tend to consume fewer fruits and vegetables (FV) and more sugar-containing beverages (SCB) during periods when they are not in school. During the COVID-19 pandemic, children’s daily routines were disrupted due to public health home confinement recommendations. Given the rise in childhood obesity during the pandemic, particularly among lower-income groups, home confinement may have affected children’s consumption of FV and SCB. Objectives The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the association between home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and the consumption of FV and SCB among healthy urban children. The secondary objective was to explore whether household income modified these associations. Design/Methods A longitudinal cohort study was conducted with repeated measures of outcome and exposure. The cohort consisted of children aged 1-12 years who were recruited during primary care visits, with questionnaire data completed between May 2020 and November 2021. The primary exposure was home confinement (days/week), defined as not going to in-person school or other public areas. The primary outcome was FV consumption (times per day). The secondary outcome was SCB consumption (cups/day), measured as the total consumption of 100% juice, sweetened beverage, and soda. Ordinal and linear mixed effects regression models were used to evaluate associations for FV and SCB outcomes respectively. Models were adjusted for child age, child sex, annual household income, maternal ethnicity, maternal age, and calendar time. An interaction term for household income was added to models and evaluated using ANOVA. Results 787 children were included in this study (47% female, mean age 5.55 years at baseline). There was evidence of an association between home confinement and SCB consumption (0.02, 95%CI: 0.01-0.02, p<0.001). After accounting for effect modification (p<0.01), this association was stronger among children from families with income <$50,000 CDN (0.04, 95%CI: 0.00-0.08, p=0.04) and $50,000-$99,999 CDN (0.04, 95%CI: 0.02-0.06, p<0.001), compared to those with family income $100,000-$149,999 CDN (0.01, 95%CI: 0.00-0.03, p=0.02) or >$150,000 CDN (0.01, 95%CI: 0.00-0.02, p=0.04). There was insufficient evidence to support an association between home confinement and FV consumption (OR 0.97, 95%CI: 0.94-1.01, p=0.15) or effect modification by household income in this association (p>0.99). Conclusion Home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with higher SCB consumption among children, which was more pronounced among lower income families. Potential competing interests Miss Mortazavi reported receiving award funding from Victoria College within the University of Toronto. Dr Maguire reported receiving grants from the CIHR, Ontario SPOR Support Unit, and The Joannah & Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition at the University of Toronto. Dr Birken reported grants from CIHR, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Physician Services, The Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children, University of Toronto, Centre for Additions and Mental Health, Ontario Child Health Support Unit, Walmart Canada, and SickKids Foundation outside the submitted work. Dr Malik reported receiving grants from the Canada Research Chair program, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, Connaught New Researcher program, and The Joannah & Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition at the University of Toronto. No other disclosures were reported. Figure 1: Association between home confinement and consumption of sugar-containing beverages by annual household income.

The Increase in Childhood Obesity and Its Association with Hypertension during Pandemics.

There has been a major ongoing health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's lives, including lifestyle and overall health. Enforcement of prevention measures, such as school closures and social distancing, has significantly affected children's daily routines and activities. This perspective manuscript aims to explore the rise in childhood obesity and its association with hypertension during pandemics. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant disruptions in children's routines, including reduced physical activity, increased sedentary behavior, and changes in dietary patterns. These factors, coupled with the psychological impact of the pandemic, have contributed to an alarming increase in childhood obesity rates. This paper has highlighted the concerning increase in childhood obesity and hypertension during pandemics. The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including reduced physical activity, increased sedentary behaviors, and changes in dietary patterns, have contributed to the rise in these health conditions. It is crucial to recognize the long-term consequences of childhood obesity and hypertension and the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to address them.

Role of parenting practices and digital media on beverage intake in European schoolchildren of different weight status. Feel4Diabetes-study

ObjectivesHalting the rise in childhood obesity is an ongoing challenge in Europe. Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and artificially sweetened beverage (ASB) consumption has become common practice at home and during family meals. The objective of this study was to investigate associations of parenting practices and home digital media availability with beverage intake in European schoolchildren of different weight groups. MethodsCross-sectional data were derived from six countries taking part in the multicentered Feel4Diabetes-study. Anthropometric data were measured for 12 030 schoolchildren (n = 6097 girls; median age = 8.1 y). Details on sociodemographic characteristics, beverage intake, food parenting practices, and home availability of digital media were collated from questionnaires. The outcomes, daily SSB and ASB intakes, were included as dependent variables in multivariable regression models that provided odds ratios reflecting their association with parenting practices and digital media (exposures), after stratifying for children's weight status (underweight or normal versus overweight or obese). ResultsAfter controlling for children's sex, region, maternal body mass index, and education, the multivariate model found that in both body mass index groups, permissive parenting practices, such as rewarding and allowing consumption of unhealthy foods “very often or often,” as compared with “rarely or never,” were associated with a high daily intake of SSBs and ASBs in children, while parents “watching television together with their child,” rewarding with screen time, and availability of television in children's rooms increased the likelihood of both beverages in the underweight or normal-weight group. ConclusionsModification of permissive parenting practices and removal of television from children's rooms could effectively reduce SSB intake and curb the ongoing threat of child obesity in Europe.

Pediatric Single-Incision Robotic Cholecystectomy: A 6-Year Update from a Single Institution.

Introduction: In children, gallbladder disease has become more common due to the rise in childhood obesity and subsequent shift in etiology. While the gold standard of surgical management remains a laparoscopic technique, there has been increasing interest in robotic-assisted techniques. The aim of this study is to report a 6-year update on the experience of treating gallbladder disease with robotic-assisted surgery at a single institution. Materials and Methods: A database was created to prospectively collect patient demographic and operative variables at the time of operation from October 2015 to May 2021. Descriptive analysis of select available variables was performed using median and interquartile ranges (IQRs) for all continuous variables. Results: In total, 102 single-incision robotic cholecystectomies and one single-port subtotal cholecystectomy were performed. From available data, 82 (79.6%) patients were female, median weight was 66.25 kg (IQR: 58.09-74.24 kg), and median age was 15 years (IQR: 15-18 years). Median procedure time was 84 minutes (IQR: 70.25-103.5 minutes) and median console time was 41 minutes (IQR: 30-59.5 minutes). The most frequent preoperative diagnosis was symptomatic cholelithiasis (79.6%). One (0.97%) operation was converted from a single-incision robotic approach to open. Conclusion: Single-incision robotic cholecystectomy is a safe and reliable technique for the treatment of gallbladder disease in the adolescent population.

Improving Access to Child and Adolescent Weight Loss Surgery: A Review of Updated National and International Practice Guidelines.

The rise of childhood obesity is a growing concern due to its negative impact on health.Metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) has gained popularity as an effective and adequate intervention for children and adolescent patients living with severe obesity. Nonetheless, access to MBS for this population is still limited. The objective of this paper is to conduct a comprehensive review of the latest national and international practice guidelines and improve access to MBS for children and adolescents. The paper focuses on the recommendations from the 2023 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and 2022 guidelines from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO). Recently updated guidelines from the ASMBS and IFSO aim to improve access to MBS for children and adolescents and recommend patient selection, preoperative evaluation, and postoperative care. While lifestyle changes, medication, and behavioral therapy are commonly prescribed, they often fail to achieve permanent weight loss and its maintenance. Weight-loss surgeries like sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and gastric bypass (RYGB) show promising results in managing severe obesity in adolescents. SG has become the preferred method for treating severe obesity in adolescents, surpassing RYGB. Weight stigma is also explored in this review, revealing its negative effects on individuals who are overweight and underweight. Furthermore, telehealth is identified as an increasingly valuable tool for managing pediatric obesity, as it can improve access to care, particularly for those in remote areas where physicians trained to treat childhood obesity and the shortage of bariatric surgeons experienced in treating younger adolescents and pediatricians with advanced training are major obstacles.

Development and Piloting of a Novel Evaluation Tool for Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs

Childhood obesity remains chronic and high in the U.S., driven by factors including poor dietary habits and lack of physical activity. Interventions that address multiple causal factors may be the most appropriate strategy to address rising childhood obesity rates. The Cooperative Extension Service offers programs across the country to address causal factors of childhood obesity, but few coordinated or concerted efforts have been made to determine overlap, reduce duplication, or identify best practices in programming. To fill this gap, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture Multistate Project W3005 Extension Workgroup sought to develop a novel tool to compare programs with components related to childhood obesity prevention. This manuscript details the iterative process used to develop the Childhood Obesity Prevention Program in Extension Rubric (COPPER), provides findings from the pilot process, and reveals the broad application and potential of this tool within Extension and nutrition education. The newly developed COPPER tool is multi-functional and may be beneficial in program development, implementation, adoption, and/or adaptation of programs in new settings. This tool will be useful for Extension, public health, and other community organizations focused on issues central to childhood obesity targeting children, parents, and/or caregivers.

Prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants and changes in infant growth and childhood growth trajectories

BackgroundChildren are born with a burden of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) which may have endocrine disrupting properties and have been postulated to contribute to the rise in childhood obesity. The current evidence is equivocal, which may partly because many studies investigate the effects at one time point during childhood. We assessed associations between prenatal exposure to POPs and growth during infancy and childhood. MethodsWe used data from two Belgian cohorts with cord blood measurements of five organochlorines [(dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p’-DDE), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB-138, -150, −180)] (N = 1418) and two perfluoroalkyl substances [perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)] (N = 346). We assessed infant growth, defined as body mass index (BMI) z-score change between birth and 2 years, and childhood growth, characterized as BMI trajectory from birth to 8 years. To evaluate associations between POP exposures and infant growth, we applied a multi-pollutant approach, using penalized elastic net regression with stability selection, controlling for covariates. To evaluate associations with childhood growth, we used single-pollutant linear mixed models with random effects for child individual, parametrized using a natural cubic spline formulation. ResultsPCB-153 was associated with increased and p,p’-DDE with decreased infant growth, although these results were imprecise. No clear association between any of the exposures and longer-term childhood growth trajectories was observed. We did not find evidence of effect modification by child sex. ConclusionOur results suggest that prenatal exposure to PCB-153 and p,p’-DDE may affect infant growth in the first two years, with no evidence of more persistent effects.

Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome among Early Adolescents in Khartoum State, Sudan.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is rapidly increasing in prevalence with rising childhood obesity and sedentary lifestyles worldwide. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of MetS and its components among Sudanese early adolescents in Khartoum State. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at primary schools in Khartoum State. A questionnaire was administered to assess the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants. Anthropometric, blood pressure, and biochemical measurements were taken. In total, 921 students, boys and girls aged 10-15 years old, participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 12.59 ± 1.21 years. The overall prevalence rate of MetS was 2.3% using International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. MetS was significantly more prevalent among boys than girls (3.4% vs. 1.5%). Obese adolescents had higher MetS prevalence than those who were overweight (14.9 vs. 2.8, p < 0.001). Boys had a significantly higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome than girls. Early adolescents from Sudan who are obese had more risk factors for MetS than those who are normal weight or overweight. It is important to address the causes of increased risk for MetS early in life to prevent the development of the disease in adult life.

Impact of urban schoolyard play zone diversity and nature-based design features on unstructured recess play behaviors

In urban low-income neighborhoods, child wellbeing is highly dependent on the school ecosystem. The schoolyard, specifically, provides opportunities for physical and social development during recess. The purpose of our study was to examine the impact of various schoolyard design features and green space on unstructured recess play behaviors according to gender and age. Individual and population-level physical activity and social interactions were recorded with validated direct observation tools across five Title I Los Angeles elementary schoolyards (N = 2275). More students were observed sedentary in schoolyards with fewer unique play areas and in play areas with higher student density. Observations indicate that girls prefer noncompetitive activities in nature-filled spaces while boys prefer competitive ball games in either hardscape or grass. The play areas that appealed to and promoted moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and prosocial interactions in students of both genders and age groups included intentional physical separation from other areas, tree-provided shade, and/or balance and climbing obstacles. Results suggest that increasing the square footage of the schoolyard devoted to grass sport fields or traditional playground painting is not sufficient to optimize student benefit. In conclusion, there is potential to concurrently address environmental urban heat island effects and the rise in childhood obesity with large-scale green schoolyard renovations that allow for more student choice and creative play and include age-appropriate motor skill challenge. Future studies should examine how schoolyard design features conducive to positive recess play behaviors intersect with student attendance, outdoor learning, as well as additional mental and physical health outcomes.

Farm-to-School programmes, benefits, health outcomes and barriers: A structured literature review

Introduction: A common refrain in public health and medicine concerns the rapidly rising incidence of obesity and metabolic-like syndromes over the last two decades. A plethora of data suggests there are many roots to the issue and what to do about it. The rise of childhood obesity and the growing incidence of adult endocrine diseases like type 2 diabetes mellitus in paediatric populations are the most concerning. One of the solutions that aims to tackle health and food justice issues is the Farm-to-School programme (FTSP), which helps bring local fruit and vegetables (FVs) to schools and associated nutrition-related programmes. In the USA, a significant expansion of FTSPs has happened since the early 2000s. Numerous economic, social and nutritional benefits of these programmes have been documented, and various methodologies have been used to elucidate the benefits and barriers. Method: This paper reviews the multifaceted strengths of FTSPs including health, institutional and farm-related benefits. The paper also discusses federal- and state-level environment and the obstacles to FTSP implementation. Conclusion: FTSPs offer a comprehensive way to strengthen childhood nutrition education and stimulate local communities economically and socially. FTSPs increase the purchase of locally produced food items, resulting in higher incomes for small farmers. FTSPs have also increased community engagement and new opportunities for farming businesses. In sum, FTSPs can be considered a boon for local schools, producers, communities and better health outcomes for school-age children. Teaching children about food literacy could prove beneficial for supporting their self-efficacy regarding foods and encouraging lifetime healthy dietary behaviours.

Network Analysis for a Community-Based School- and Family-Based Obesity Prevention Program.

Rising childhood obesity with its detrimental health consequences poses a challenge to the health care system. Community-based, multi-setting interventions with the participatory involvement of relevant stakeholders are emerging as promising. To gain insights into the structural and processual characteristics of stakeholder networks, conducting a network analysis (NA) is advisable. Within the program “Family+—Healthy Living Together in Families and Schools”, a network analysis was conducted in two rural model regions and one urban model region. Relevant stakeholders were identified in 2020–2021 through expert interviews and interviewed by telephone to elicit key variables such as frequency of contact and intensity of collaboration. Throughout the NA, characteristics such as density, centrality, and connectedness were analyzed and are presented graphically. Due to the differences in the number of inhabitants and the rural or urban structure of the model regions, the three networks (network#1, network#2, and network#3) included 20, 14, and 12 stakeholders, respectively. All networks had similar densities (network#1, 48%; network#2, 52%; network#3, 42%), whereas the degree centrality of network#1 (0.57) and network#3 (0.58) was one-third higher compared with network#2 (0.39). All three networks differed in the distribution of stakeholders in terms of field of expertise and structural orientation. On average, stakeholders exchanged information quarterly and were connected on an informal level. Based on the results of the NA, it appears to be useful to initialize a community health facilitator to involve relevant stakeholders from the education, sports, and health systems in projects and to strive for the goal of sustainable health promotion, regardless of the rural or urban structure of the region. Participatory involvement of relevant stakeholders can have a positive influence on the effective dissemination of information and networking with other stakeholders.

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity using Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference among 11–14-Year-old Children in Puducherry

Background: Obesity in children has become more common in recent years around the world. It is estimated that India will have 17 million obese children by 2025. Increased consumption of high-calorie meals deficient in vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients, combined with decreased physical activity, is factors contributing to rising childhood obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity using body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. Material and Methods: The study was a school based cross-sectional study conducted among 1386 students aged 11–14 years from four Private Urban schools of Puducherry. This was measured using WHO BMI-for-age-2007 (5–19 years) charts for boys and girls and for waist circumference using an inch tape with a cut off value at 71 cms. Results: The findings reveal that among 1386 children aged 11–14 years the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the study participants was 20.2% and 7.14%, respectively. In the overweight category, girls were overweight (52.5%) when compared to the boys (47.5%) and in the obese category, boys were (51.5%) and girls were (48.4%). The mean waist circumference of students in the overweight category was 76.61 with a standard deviation of 4.32 and in the obese category was 78.7 with a standard deviation of 4.14. A significant association was found between gender and age with the waist circumference at P < 0.001. Conclusion: The present study findings imply that overweight and obesity are a growing concern in our country and there is an urgent need to create awareness among all stakeholders.