CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF OBESITY AMONG SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RURAL AND URBAN AREAS OF PUNJAB

Abstract

Obesity is an increased and undesirable fat accumulated in a body and overweight is high body weight that is checked with height while keeping in mind the desirable weight as per age. The main objective of the present study was to find out the causes and consequences of obesity among school-going children in rural and urban areas of Punjab. The study was conducted in two districts of Punjab namely Faisalabad and Rawalpindi. Total 12 schools were selected, randomly, from each district considering the area i.e. Posh Private, Public and Rural Schools. Total 24 schools were considered for the study. Respondents were male students from grade 5 to 9 in each school. Sample size of the study was 600, 300 respondents from Faisalabad and 300 respondents from Rawalpindi district. A sample of 25 respondents was carefully selected from each school to make a total sample size of 600. The data was collected through a well-structured (including open and closed ended questions) pre-tested interviewing schedule. In addition, the height and weight of each student was measured using calibrated scales. Body Mass Index (BMI = weight (kg)/height2 (m2)) was calculated for each student. Precautions were taken to make sure that all recordings were accurate and precise. The collected data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and multivariate analysis. Results show that for both rural and urban areas, obesity of the children was significantly affected by mother’s education, family type, waist of the respondents, school distance, playing facility at school, TV watching, Internet use, junk food, weekly time spent in sports, weekly time spent in walk, family history and mode of travelling. Families with higher economic status were having obese children than to those having low economic status. The obesity of the children was highly affecting students’ academic performance and also their psychological health in rural and urban areas. Government should start National Childhood Obesity Prevention Program and cascade it to all provinces, divisions, districts, Tehsils and union councils. A separate dedicated management team should run this program. Media should send social messages through advertisements which show the problems of obesity and the chronic diseases it carries in future lives of children. Media should organize periodic talk shows in which doctors and health experts should come and tell the public about healthy life styles and eating habits.