Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in Young South Indian Rural, Urban Adolescents in the Age Groups 15 To 25 Years

The aim and objective of the study was to assess the prevalence 0f Obesity and overweight in young adolescent in the age group 15 to 25years.It has become a worldwide epidemic, and there is an urgent need to examine obesity and overweigh in developing countries like India using Asian pacific standard for BMI. In the present study we have investigated the prevalence of obesity and overweight and their association with socioeconomic status (SES) and the risk factors like diet, physical activity like exercise, sports,, eating habits like junk food, chocolate, eating outside at weekend, family history of diabetes and obesity. The study was carried out in 727adolescents between 15 to 25years of age and having different socio economic standards the obesity and overweight were considered using Asian pacific body mass index reference. Life style factors were determined using pre-tested questionnaire. Prevalence of overweight was found to be 14.3% among boys and 9.2% among girls where as the prevalence of obesity was 2.9% in boys and 1.5% in girls. The prevalence of overweight among adolescent was higher in middle SES as compared to high SES group in both boys and girls whereas the prevalence of obesity was higher in high SES group as compared to middle SES group. The prevalence of obesity as well as overweight in low SES group was the lowest as compared to other group. Eating habit like junk food, chocolate, eating outside at weekend and less physical activity like exercise, sports, &having more study hrs in medical student’s effect on prevalence of overweight and obesity among middle to high SES group. Family history of diabetes and obesity were found to be positively associated. This study further extends the clinical usefulness to predict prediabetic and diabetic in the young adolescent.