Factors Related to Overweight Middle School Children in Dagon Township, Yangon Division, Union of Myanmar

Abstract

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Dagon Township, Yangon, to find out the prevalence and factors related to overweight middle school children. 487 middle school children aged 10 to 14 years participated in the study during February, 2011.  After gaining consent from guardians and participants, height and weight measurement took place at school. Children were given a self-administered questionnaire to report their dietary habits, lifestyle behaviors and environmental settings. Overweigh status was determined by comparing body mass index (BMI) to World Health Organization growth reference 2007 for 5-19 years of age.  Prevalence of overweight in children including obesity was 20.1% in total; boys had prevalence of 30.8% and girls’ 9.2%. Chi-square analysis was done to find the association between dependent and independent variables and statistically associated variables were incorporated into multiple logistic regression. Significant predictors were male gender (OR=3.73, 95% CI= 2.08-6.67), the habit of eating while watching television (OR=4.66, 95% CI=2.63-8.26), the choice of electronic games as leisure activity (OR=1.75, 95% CI=1.01, 3.04), duration of physical activity more than 30 minutes  daily and taking private car to school (OR=0.53, 95% CI=0.31-0.89).Thus, middle school children should be encouraged to engage in more active forms of leisure activities for more than 30 minutes of duration every day.