Prevalence and risk factors of overweight and obesity among nursery school children in Embakasi sub-county

Abstract

Background: As standards of living in the world continue to rise, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has also been increasing. Overweight and obesity pose a threat to the health of individuals globally. Obesity is not only a chronic disease that is prevalent in both developed and developing countries, but is also strongly associated risk factor for many diseases and in children it is linked to under achievement in school. The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with overweight and obesity among nursery school children. Methodology: This is a cross sectional study carried out in nursery school targeting children aged between 3-6 years in Embakasi sub-county from August 2014 to January 2015. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 17.0. The Chi- square test was used to assess the association between respondent characteristics and the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Pearson correlation was done for independent predictors of childhood overweight and obesity. Results: Out of total 313 children recruited in this study, 72.8% had a normal BMI while 13.7% were overweight, 6.1% were obese and 7.4% were underweight. Cumulatively, 19.8% of the children were either overweight or obese. A higher composition of girls were obese (10.3%) compared to 2.8% that of the boys. Generally, most of the parents were not aware of the body status of their children. The study findings further reveal no significant association between gender and obesity. On the other hand, most of the children who were obese were from the private schools, 11 (57.9%) with those from public schools being 8 (42.1%). A p-value of 0.015 was indication there was a significant relationship between obesity and the type of school and obesity. From the association analysis of obesity against the level of physical activity, a p-value of 0.032 (p<0.05) was a confirmation of the existence of a significant relation between the two. This study found no significant relation between a mother’s level of education and her child’s obesity status. Also, there was a statistically significant association between a household’s monthly income and obesity (p<0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity in nursery school children was high (6.1%) and stands as a cause of concern. The prevalence of obesity is common in females than males. There was statistically significant difference between obesity and the type of school. Therefore, there is need to focus on expanding efforts that can lead to the prevention of the modifiable factors.