The association between dietary habits and childhood obesity /
A cross-sectional study was carried out among school children, aged between 10 and 12 in Selangor, Malaysia. Subjects comprised of 886 children (459 females, 427 males) who were pupils of six primary schools. Physical characteristics including mean body mass index (BMI) were evaluated by anthropomet...
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| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2006.
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| Summary: | A cross-sectional study was carried out among school children, aged between 10 and 12 in Selangor, Malaysia. Subjects comprised of 886 children (459 females, 427 males) who were pupils of six primary schools. Physical characteristics including mean body mass index (BMI) were evaluated by anthropometric measurements while dietary habit was determined by questionnaires. The results showed that the (BMI) for males and females was 19.00 ± 4.72 and 17.87 ± 4.16, respectively. Further analysis of BMI classification demonstrated that 18% of males and 15% of females were overweight while 14% of males and 7% of females were obese. Analysis of dietary habits of the subjects showed that obese children tend to consume soft drinks, skip breakfast, eat high-dense food during breakfast and eat large portion of fruits, vegetables, junk food and kueh. Obese children also tend to consume more fast food, eat out and eat high dense food. The results of present study was quite similar to other studies on the contribution of dietary factors to childhood obesity. This study revealed that the major contributors of childhood obesity in children are the consumption of soft drinks, skipping breakfast, over consumption of energy-dense food and eating out. The rise obesity, once thought to be an urban phenomenon, however has now spread to the rural population with the rate of obesity in rural children higher than urban. As Malaysia proceeds rapidly towards a developed country, the population will probably suffer the same chronic disease observed in developed countries. Findings from this present study can be used to control the childhood obesity epidemic in this country before it is too late. |
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| Physical Description: | 43 leaves : ill. ; 30cm. |