Author(s)

Shuhana Sultana¹, Farzana Saleh^2*, Liaquat Ali³

¹Department of Health Promotion & Health Education, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
²Department of Community Nutrition, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
³Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS), Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Background: No published information is available on the status of childhood obesity in Bangladeshi primary school children of urban middle and upper-middle income group. The aim of the study was to explore the proportion of childhood obesity in the primary school children of middle and upper-middle income group in capital city and to gather information on their dietary pattern and physical activity. Methods: One hundred and fifty children (age 9 ± 1 years, height (ht) 118 ± 20 cm, weight (wt) 36 ± 8 kg, wt/ht% 126 ± 24, mean ± SD) were selected purposively from the primary schools of Dhaka city. On the basis of predefined scoring, subjects were classified as underweight, normal, overweight and obese if their weight-for-height values were <90%, 91% - 110%, 111% - 120% or >120% of median values for Bangladeshi children respectively. Dietary intake and energy expenditure of the study subjects were calculated by standard techniques. Results: The proportion of childhood overweight and obesity was 52% and 20%. The proportion of overweight and obesity was higher (78%) among girls compared to boys (54%). Similarly, height, weight and other anthropometrics indices were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in girls compared to boys. The daily intake of carbohydrate and protein was significantly (p < 0.05) higher among obese group. Total energy balance was significantly correlated with weight-for-height% (r = 0.541, p = 0.0001). Conclusions: A higher proportion of overweight and obesity had been found in girls’ children than their counter parts in this study. Positive energy balance with higher energy intake from carbohydrate and fast/processed food culture habit were found among primary school children of middle and upper-middle income group in the capital city of Bangladesh.

Obesity, Overweight, Weight, Fast Foods Culture, Nutrition, Primary School Children, Urban, Capital City, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Sultana, S. , Saleh, F. and Ali, L. (2015) Childhood Obesity in Primary School Children of Middle and Upper-Middle Income Group in the Capital City of Bangladesh. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 6, 1185-1192. doi: 10.4236/fns.2015.613124.