Socioeconomic determinants of childhood obesity and food consumption patterns of children in Meerut U.P

Childhood obesity has emerged as a significant public health challenge, driven largely by unhealthy lifestyle practices among children. Nutrition is fundamental to physical growth, cognitive development, and overall well-being. In recent years, dietary patterns among Indian children have changed considerably due to urbanization, lifestyle shifts, the easy availability of processed foods, and evolving family dynamics.Meerut, a rapidly growing city in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.), offers an ideal setting to study these changes. Understanding children’s eating habits is crucial, as poor dietary practices in early years which can bring about diverse nutrition deformities, obesity, and related health complications. In this region, children’s choices related foods are strongly influenced by parental guidance, socioeconomic conditions, and cultural preferences.This study assessed the universality and factors responsible for the childhood obesity in Meerut by surveying 100 children from urban and rural areas. A structured questionnaire was mode for taking information from both children and their parents to gathered data reflecting their present practices like health status, healthy eating patterns, and lifestyle factors. Findings revealed that only 40% of the participants followed healthy eating habits, while 60% had unhealthy diets. Children from lower-income families were most likely to be undernourished, whereas those from higher-income households had better access to diverse and nutritious foods.