TENDENCY TOWARDS OBESITY IN SYDNEY SCHOOL CHILDREN

TENDENCY TOWARDS OBESITY IN SYDNEY SCHOOL CHILDREN

Kaye Brock

, Stephen Morrell

, Richard Taylor

1

School of Behavioural and Community Health Sciences,

Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia,

Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda ,MD,USA

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate children’s tendency towards obesity as measured by anthropometric measures {Body Mass Index(BMI),Total Body Fat (TBF) and Waist Girth (Waist)}in relation to blood pressure(BP), dietary, exercise, familial. and socio-demographic background factors in a cohort of 1,230 Sydney primary school children first measured in 1994 and again in 1997.

Results: We found in this community sample the mean measures of overweight and obesity and the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity as pre- defined categories significantly increased in three years. In addition, obesity was more prevalent in children from schools in low socio-economic status, this was explained by children of Non English Speaking Background(excluding Asians).

Children of NESB were at two fold significant risk of being obese (BMI > 22).

Overweight or obese children had higher systolic and diastolic BP and pulse rate than non-obese children: Obese (BMI > 22) children were at four fold risk of having a systolic BP > 117 which increased to a six fold risk three years later (BMI > 25). This was also reflected in obesity measures of high waist and TBF.

Obesity was also related to activity levels more strongly than to dietary factors:

Obese children (by BMI, TBF or waist measures) were three times as likely to not exercise compared to their non obese peers.

Contrary to findings from other studies neither low birth weight or high BP of parents were related to childhood obesity, however BMI of either the mother or the father of the child was the strongest predictor of childhood obesity . Children who had an obese mother (BMI>30) had a two fold risk of obesity at 8 years old which increased to four fold at 11. If the father was obese (BMI > 30) the two fold risk at age 8 increased to five fold at age 11.

Conclusion: Health Promotion efforts should be made to increase children’s exercise especially those of either non-English speaking background (excluding

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Asians) or who have an obese parent. Blood Pressure should be monitored in

overweight children as they may be at risk of heart disease and stroke in their

adult life.