Childhood Overweight in a Rural Tamil Nadu School: Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors

Dr. Anisha Nallasamy, Dr. Mohana Thangaraj, Dr. Prarthana Phukan, Dr. Keerthana Priya V, Dr. Beauty Chakraborty, Dr. Akansha Gaur

Abstract: Background: In India, childhood obesity and overweight are becoming major public health issues that impact both urban and rural communities. The prevalence and risk factors for overweight in school-age children in a semi-rural area of Tamil Nadu are examined in this study. Objective: To assess the prevalence of overweight among 11-12 year old primary school children at Sri Ramakrishna Matric Higher Secondary School in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, and investigate related variables such eating habits, exercise, and sleep patterns. Methodology: A validated sociodemographic questionnaire, Modified Physical Activity Level Questionnaire (MPAQ-C), and Children?s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) were administered to 120 school children aged 11?12 years. Body measures (height, weight, waist circumference) were measured. In the enrolled children, age between 11 and 12 years, attending school for at least 5 hours a day and able to speak Tamil or English fluently were included. Children with psychological or mental disabilities or those who had undergone recent surgery were excluded. Data were processed with SPSS (Version 22.0 for Windows). Demographic data were described using descriptive statistics, and the association between BMI and the selected risk factors was tested using Chi-square tests. Values of p < 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant. Results: The results showed that 6.78% of the children were overweight and 35.59% were underweight. 14.41% had low levels of physical activity, whilst 64.41% had moderate levels. According to sleep study, 64.41% of people reported symptoms of sleep disorders, and 51.69% slept for shorter periods of time than is advised. Furthermore, a high energy-dense diet was reported by 38.14%. These results were found to be influenced by parental lifestyle choices and educational attainment. Conclusion: Even in remote educational settings, the results show that undernutrition and new trends in overweight coexist. To prevent lifestyle-related diseases from an early age, the study emphasizes the necessity of school-based health promotion initiatives that emphasize physical exercise, sleep hygiene, and dietary understanding.

Keywords: BMI, physical activity, sleep patterns, childhood obesity, dietary patterns, and rural India

How to Cite?: Dr. Anisha Nallasamy, Dr. Mohana Thangaraj, Dr. Prarthana Phukan, Dr. Keerthana Priya V, Dr. Beauty Chakraborty, Dr. Akansha Gaur, "Childhood Overweight in a Rural Tamil Nadu School: Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors", Volume 14 Issue 7, July 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1741-1744, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR25726213944, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR25726213944