Prevalence and Determinants of Childhood Obesity: A Cross-sectional Study from Vadodara, Gujarat, India

Introduction: The world is heading towards an obese future and as a result, childhood obesity is rising at an alarming pace. According to the World Obesity Atlas (2024), it is projected that by 2035, 88% of children classified as overweight or obese will reside in low- and middle-income countries. Aim: To identify the prevalence of childhood obesity among individuals aged 12 to 16 years, using the criteria established by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Material and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 606 school children selected through purposive sampling from three distinct schools in the Vadodara District, Gujarat, India, including one government, one semigovernment, and one private school, over a period of one month (July 2024). The researcher employed a quantitative research approach. The study gathered written informed parental consent and participant assent from students to assess their Body Mass Index (BMI). Data were collected on Demographic Variables (DV) and BMI based on the CDC BMI tool metric version and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. To determine prevalence rates, associations of DVs with BMI, correlations of BMI with height, weight and Mid-Arm Circumference (MAC), Odds Ratio (OR), Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and logistic regression were performed. Result: Among the 606 study participants, the overall prevalence of obesity was 224 (36.96%). Out of these, 67 (11.06%) were underweight, 315 (51.98%) were normal weight, 134 (22.11%) were overweight, 58 (9.57%) were classified as obesity class I, 21 (3.47%) were classified as obesity class II and 11 (1.82%) were in the obesity class III category. Overall, males (22.77%) exhibited a higher prevalence of obesity compared to females (14.19%), with the majority representing urban residents. When analysed using logistic regression, the researcher found that age (13-15 years), private school enrollment, urban residence, vehicle transportation, higher socioeconomic status and daily consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages were significant predictors of obesity. Conclusion: The study concluded that obesity was more prevalent among urban residents and a strong correlation was found between MAC, gender and school type, with an inverse relationship between physical activity and obesity.