Influence of socio-economic status and television watching on childhood obesity in Kolkata

• Published in: Homo Vol. 68; no. 6; pp. 487 - 494
• Main Authors: Bharati, S., Pal, M., Shome, S., Roy, P., Dhara, P., Bharati, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Elsevier GmbH 01.12.2017
• Subjects: Body Mass Index; Child; Child Behavior - psychology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Exercise - physiology; Fast food; Female; Humans; India - epidemiology; Life Style; Male; Motor Activity; Obesity; Overweight; Pediatric Obesity - economics; Pediatric Obesity - epidemiology; Pediatric Obesity - psychology; School going children; Social Class; Socio-economic characteristics; Socioeconomic Factors; Television; Television watching; Fast food; Obesity; Television watching; Socio-economic characteristics; School going children; Overweight
• ISSN: 0018-442X; 1618-1301
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jchb.2017.08.005

Obesity is fast becoming an epidemic among the urban children and it has its adverse effect on the status of health even during adulthood. In this paper an attempt is made to assess the percentage of obesity among 6–10 year children and assess the effect of different socio-economic variables and TV watching on childhood obesity. We restricted our study to primary school-going children who attended classes I–IV. The sample consisted of 5216 children from 20 different Bengali medium and English medium schools in Kolkata. Categorical logistic regression of obesity on the socio-economic factors namely type of medium school, religion, parent's education, duration of television watching etc., has been carried out. The categorical logistic regression shows the significant effect of some of the socio-economic or demographic variables including the duration of television watching on obesity. We have seen a positive association between obesity and TV watching and also between obesity and consumption of fast food. This calls for making the parents aware and taking action as early as possible.