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Volume 4 Issue 1 (January - February, 2016)

Original Articles

ASSESSMENT OF LIFESTYLE AND HABITS ASSOCIATED WITH OBESITY AMONG THE SCHOOL CHILDREN OF BHIRAHAWA, NEPAL - A CROSS SECTIONAL SURVEY
Binod Kumar Gupta

Background: WHO has emphasized on urgent need of understanding the prevalence trend, factors contributing and developing strategies for effective intervention. Thus, the present study was planned and conducted to assess the lifestyle and habits associated with obesity among the school children of Nepal which will help in estimating the local prevalence of factors associated with this condition and hence will assist to organize primary prevention accordingly in this area. Methodology: A descriptive cross sectional questionnaire based survey conducted among 200 school going children aged between 6-16 years  from 8 private schools of Bhirahawa. Lifestyle and habits were assessed among students. Data so obtained was analysed using SPSS version 16 and statistically analysis was carried out using Chi-square test with p value <0.05 considered as significant value. Results: The present study indicates an association between eating habits that are less healthy and obesity. The study found that more than 60% students in both groups used to eat fast food such as burger, chowmein, pizza, instant noodles, momo (dumplings) or other food with high calorie content such as ice-creams, chips, cookies daily and more than half of the students used to drink aerated beverages such as Fanta or Coke, tetra-packed juices such as ‘Real’ juice and fruit-flavoured drinks such as Tang daily. Conclusion: The present study found  that with the modernization in the present era, children are practicing unhealthy eating habits and sedentary life style which is an important risk factor leading to overweight and obesity.
Keywords: Fast foods; Sedentary lifestyle

Corresponding author: Dr. Binod Kumar Gupta, Assistant Professor, Department of Paediatrics, UCMS, College of medical sciences, Bhirahawa, Nepal

This article may be cited as:  Gupta BK. Assessment of Lifestyle and Habits associated with Obesity among the School Children of Bhirahawa, Nepal -A Cross Sectional Survey. J Adv Med Dent Scie Res 2015; 3(6):S107-S110.

 
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