Partha Chakraborty1, Subrata Dey2, Ranabir Pal3, Sumit Kar3, Forhad Akhtar Zaman3, Shrayan Pal4
1Aditya Hospital, Kolkata, India.
2Department of Pediatrics, Apollo Gleneagles Hospital, Kolkata, India.
3Department of Community Medicine, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences and Central Referral Hospital, 5th Mile, Tadong, Gangtok, Sikkim 737 102, India.
4Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, 5th Mile, Tadong, Gangtok, Sikkim, India.
DOI: 10.4103/0976-9668.82310
ABSTRACT
Background: Limited data is available from India regarding the distribution and profile of childhood obesity and hypertension. Materials and Methods: A population based cross-sectional study was conducted in the urban schools of Kolkata. Using stratified random sampling method, 979 participants were selected. Body mass index (BMI) status and blood pressure (BP) were estimated using standard protocol and their various correlates regarding sociodemographic characteristics were looked into. Results: Majority (38.92%) of the study population were in the preadolescent group followed by adolescent group (33.40%). Male constituted 52.09%, overweight was more prevalent among preadolescent age group (22.57%). Overall 27 cases of prehypertension were found of which 19 (70.37%, n=27) were in the adolescent age group. There was no significant association between ages with increased BMI status. We detected total 15 cases (1.53%) of hypertension in our study population and three-fourths of them were from adolescent age group. However, significant association was seen between high BP with increasing age. Average fast food intakes and screen time was higher in obese as compared to their normal peers. Upper and upper-middle social status contributed to higher number of obese/overweight and hypertensive children and was the significant risk factor. Conclusion: Childhood obesity and hypertension were found to be common in the city of Kolkata which suggest the need for greater public awareness programs on these morbidities.
Keywords: Hypertension, obesity, overweight.
