Level of physical activity and obesity among the adolescent school children in Bhaktapur: A cross-sectional pilot study

Abstract

Background: Physical activity is crucial for overall health and well-being of an individual. As childhood obesity has emerged as a serious public health concern, physical activity is a proven tool for prevention and treatment of this type of obesity. As lifestyle and behavior pattern is formed at the adolescence age, it is essential that healthy lifestyle and good food habit should start at this age. Hence, we aimed to fi nd the level of physical activity and obesity among the adolescent school children in this study. Objectives: The objective of the study was to fi nd the level of physical activity and obesity among the adolescent school children in a Bhaktapur school. Method: This is a cross sectional pilot study conducted in October 2015 at a private school in Bhaktapur, Nepal. A total of 83 students studying in class eight, nine and ten were included in the study. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used, height and weight were measured and a BMI index for age percentile growth chart was used to interpret the Basal Metabolic Index of the participants. Result: Out of the total 83 respondents, 31.3% of the respondents performed physical activity for at least 60 minutes a day for more than three days per week and 37.3% participants performed the same for less than three days per week. Twelve percent of the total participants were either overweight or obese. Conclusion:The amount of physical activity in majority of the students is not adequate. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in adolescence is high. Sedentary life style, increasing trends of indoor game and consumption of junk food are responsible for increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in the adolescence.

Childhood Overnutrition among School Going Children in a Municipality: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

“…9 A cross-sectional pilot study conducted at a randomly selected private school in Bhaktapur showed that out of 83 students, 12% were either overweight or obese which is slightly higher than the prevalence found in the present study. 10 Another cross-sectional study in Kaski district among adolescents showed the prevalence of overweight and obesity of 8.1% out of which 5.8% were overweight and 2.3% were obese. 11 Similarly, the results of a study conducted in Iranian children and adolescents revealed that 9.7% were overweight and 11.9% were obese.…”

Adolescent Obesity Modeling: A Framework of Socio-Economic Analysis on Public Health

“…In fact, leisure time through physical activity among adolescents has been recognized as a healthy lifestyle habit and promoted in developed countries [59]. Besides, recent studies by Misra and Grason [60] and Sainju and Manandhar [61] presented further evidence that physical activity increased during childhood and decreased during adolescence; however, this decline was more conspicuous in girls than in boys. Based on our results, the same held true for Iranian adolescent boys, where there was a significantly low level of physical activity among overweight and obese boys.…”