World Health Organization-Body Mass Index for Age Criteria as a Tool for Prediction of Childhood and Adolescent Morbidity: A Novel Approach in Southern Karnataka, India
Background: Health status of children and adolescents is determined to a larger extent by their nutritional status. There are no published studies available on the influence of thinness on childhood morbidity using new World Health Organization-body mass index (WHO-BMI) for age criteria. Methods: T...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2014-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Preventive Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ijpvmjournal.net/article.asp?issn=2008-7802;year=2014;volume=5;issue=6;spage=695;epage=702;aulast=Kulkarni |
| Summary: | Background: Health status of children and adolescents is determined to a larger extent by their nutritional status. There are no published studies available on the influence of thinness on childhood morbidity using new World Health Organization-body mass index (WHO-BMI) for age criteria.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in primary, high schools, pre-university and degree colleges at southern Karnataka for a period of 1 year.
Results: Majority 6924 (53.6%) were in the age group of 15-19 years with the mean age of 14.2 ± 3.1 years. 6167 (47.7%) were males and 6749 (52.3%) were females. As per WHO growth standards for children between 5 and 19 years, taking BMI for age criteria into account, 9092 (70.4%) subjects were found to be normal, 3660 (28.3%) thin and 164 (1.3%) overweight/obesity. 8224 (63.7%) subjects were suffering from some sort of morbidities. Mean morbidities rank for subjects with thinness was found to be significantly higher compared with normal and overweight/obese subjects. Thinness was found to be the major predictor of morbidity age, sex and residing in rural areas.
Conclusions: Magnitude of thinness among children and adolescents was 28.3%. BMI for age criteria was found to be a significant predictor of childhood and adolescent morbidity. |
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| ISSN: | 2008-7802 2008-8213 |