Epidemiology of Childhood Obesity in India: A Comprehensive Report

This report provides a comprehensive overview of childhood obesity in India, examining its epidemiology, key patterns, and socio-demographic differentials. The study design utilizes a systematic review approach, drawing from published articles and national surveys to analyze the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents. The report highlights factors such as age, socio-economic status, and gender as significant contributors to obesity. It delves into Indian data, differentiating between children and adolescents, and explores the impact of socio-economic status, place of residence, and gender on obesity rates. Furthermore, the report emphasizes health nursing practices, including holistic assessments, BMI measurements, health promotion strategies, and the promotion of physical exercise and healthy diets to combat childhood obesity. The conclusion underscores the need for a balanced approach addressing nutrition and economic transitions to effectively tackle the issue in India.

RUNNING HEAD: EPIDEMIOLOGY 1
Epidemiology of Childhood obesity
Student Details:

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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Study design.....................................................................................................................................3
Key patterns related with obesity....................................................................................................3
Results of the study..........................................................................................................................4
Epidemiology of Childhood Obesity: Indian data.......................................................................4
Children...................................................................................................................................4
Adolescent...............................................................................................................................4
Socio-demographic differentials..................................................................................................4
Gender......................................................................................................................................4
Socio-economic status (SES)...................................................................................................5
Place of residence....................................................................................................................5
Health nursing practices for childhood obesity...............................................................................5
Safeguarding holistic nursing assessment...................................................................................5
Body mass index measurement (BMI)........................................................................................5
Health promotion.........................................................................................................................5
Physical exercise..........................................................................................................................6
Promoting healthy diet.................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
The term obesity means excessive body fat. Obesity happens due to excess intake of
calories and insufficient physical activity or both. Obesity in childhood causes metabolic
syndrome, mental disorder, poor physical health, glucose intolerance and respiratory problems.
Furthermore, growing country like India has an issue of double burden as they have both
population of malnutrition and overweight. There is a deficiency of national representative
statistics on obesity in children from India with wide different social, cultural and geographical
norms. In India, 80% of overweigh 10-14 years old children’s are at threat of obese as in
comparison with 25% overweigh children who are less 5 years old. This report highlights the
epidemiology of childhood obesity which comprises of findings reported with consistent
information, incorporation of findings in community health nursing practice.
Study design
This report highlights a comprehensive database investigation strategy more similar to a
systematic approach of review and the article used in this report is “Epidemiology of childhood
overweight & obesity in India: A systematic review”. However, the evidence drawn is added to
existing body of investigation which shows similar conclusion and observations. In this report,
using the most important published articles like Embase, Pub Med, and Cochrane by using
specific terms like “obesity”, “overweight” “childhood obesity” and “epidemiology”. Further, for
effective investigation used peer-reviewed journal articles and articles available in English
Language were considered. Cross-references from different recognized peer-reviewed articles
were also taken to expand the coverage of the report. Furthermore, the article search was done
over different scientific domain from 2011-2019. Occurrence in the 1-5 age group are obtained
from national reviews and most of the researches in India are reported only on childhood obesity.
Key patterns related with obesity
Factors comprising age, socio-economic status and gender are linked with obesity.
Gender difference is highly observed in most of the countries with more females obese over
males. Further, patterns also emerged across on the basis of socio-economic groups. Meanwhile,
in emerging countries, this equation is reversed. The transition of a rural to urban existence is

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related with an increased count of childhood obesity which is linked with major changes in
lifestyle like high consumption of high energy foods and reduction in physical activities.
Furthermore, before 2001, occurrence studies were reported more obesity (H Ranjani, 2016).
Results of the study
Research and studies reflects the increase in access to physical activities in a structured,
organized and supervised procedure which is effectively advantageous for the youth. The
reported findings are consisted with knowledge gathered. The reported factors show strong
relationship with epidemiology of childhood obesity in India.
Epidemiology of Childhood Obesity: Indian data
Children
The major studies are derived from the “National Family Health Surveys (NHFS) and
National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB)”. This review covers below five children. For
fewer than five children, the occurrence of childhood obesity is below 2%. For children above
five, the occurrence of childhood obesity varied among 2-8%. Overweight rates are observed
double high than eastern and northern Indian in southern area. Meanwhile, one study of Srinagar
showed an occurrence rate of 25%, possibly due to low numbers.
Adolescent
The largest study for this age group was published in 2007 named as Global School
Based review for 8130 scholars wherein overweight occurrence showed among 3 to 24.7% and
obesity varied among 1.5 to 14%. Furthermore, for most studies there was slight high occurrence
rate in boys when compared with girls.
Socio-demographic differentials
Gender
Khadilkar et al observed a prosperous Indian for 2-17 years age group which showed the
obesity was 18.2% by the IOTF organization. Meanwhile, WHO cut point showed 23.9% with
the maximum occurrence in boys. Further, Chhatwal et al showed general occurrence of
childhood obesity in Punjab as 11.1% with high prevalence in boys. Sidhu and others, a study

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from Amritsar showed overweight for boys as 10% and 12% for girls with 5% obesity in boys
and 6% in girls. Furthermore, Kotian and his colleagues observed overall occurrence of obesity
as 5.2%, respectively 10.5% in boys and 4.3% in girls for semi urban city in Karnataka.
Socio-economic status (SES)
Marwaha and colleagues by the use of IOTF classification among children in the upper
SES observed the occurrence of obesity as 5.6% in boys and 5.7% in girls. However, in the
lower SES the rates were 2.7% for boys and 0.4% for girls respectively. Goyal and others
observed the occurrence of obesity in Gujarat observed higher in upper SES in comparison with
middles class SES wherein obesity was high in SES factors such as, residence, parent education
and family size.
Place of residence
The occurrence of obesity among children was observed to be increased in urban as well
as rural areas in Kerala. This study described high occurrence in obesity among boys specifically
in urban areas. Furthermore, study from Surat described an upsurge in prevalence of obesity in
urban males in 14-17 year old group. High SES observed to be important risk factor in obesity.
Consecutively, data in India, children obesity is related with prosperity however, the prevalence
varied on the basis of definitions used in this review. Furthermore, the instant epidemiological
transition occurred in large cities and peri-urban areas.
Health nursing practices for childhood obesity
The family members should also be involved in childhood obesity. The below mentioned are the
recommendations for nursing practices to reduce childhood obesity (Bourgeois, Brauer, &
Simpson, 2016).
Safeguarding holistic nursing assessment
The management and prevention of obesity needs an understanding of environmental and
determinant factors which contributes in the expansion of condition. In this context, nurses
require to assess infants and child behaviors of weight gain.

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Body mass index measurement (BMI)
BMI measurements are suggested for identifying children who are obese and children on
risk of obesity. BMI should be adjusted with age, gender and height since it is an exact
calculation for adiposy. The severity of obesity, the child age and presence of related
comorbidities dictates stabilisation of weight and the goal to reduce weight.
Health promotion
Life style alterations in exercise and diet are significant for management of obesity.
Successful management program offers ideas for reducing intake of calorie and augmenting
physical activities. Little changes in intake of food and physical effects shows effects of obesity
and body weight. Alterations in diet and physical activity should be promoted with focus on
health. Furthermore, it is significant to restrict the diet and exercise as it might result in the
growth of eating disorders has the possibility of harmful for young people and adolescents.
Physical exercise
Nurses must encourage families to promote exercise and reinforcement of health
advantages of sustained physical activities, for the improvement of probable lifestyle changes
adherence and prevention of comorbidities. Additionally, physical activities are not expensive,
non-pharmalogical intervention. Physical activities improve insulin sensitivity and improve the
glucose transportation to cells of muscle by replacing the amount used in physical activities.
Furthermore, physical activities increase fat free weight and tissue volume wherein the
transportation is effective. Insulin sensitivity can be increased and improved by 40-60 minutes of
daily exercise. Nurses should focus on emphasizing the significance of physical activity
maintenance during childhood, in focus to low the threat expanding cardiovascular disorders.
Physical activities support children to maintain the appropriate rate of metabolism,
appetite control, and improvement in psychological wellbeing. Activities like watching television
and video games should be avoided. Nurses must encourage for 60 minute physical activity.
Incorporation of physical activities in daily routine makes it easy for families in improvement of
activities level. Family members must work towards establishment of regular activities which
will support in increasing the level of activity.

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Promoting healthy diet
In context of physical activities, healthy nutritious diet must be recommended. In the
hospitals, nurses must monitor the food consumption of adolescents, by consideration of
nutrition as an integration part of caring patient. Energy and portion size amount of meal should
be observed and noted. Nurses should take responsibility of providing healthy meals and healthy
choices for children and families. Nurses in community setting and hospitals must counsel the
parents regarding usual intake with focus on the significance of morning breakfast and
probability of less calories serving during dinner.

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Conclusion
This report reflects that childhood obesity rates in adolescence and children of India have
increased not just between the socio-economic groups nevertheless also in the low income
groups wherein underweight is remains as a chief concern. This study also recommends the
requirement of a sensitive and balanced approach which addresses the nutrition and economic
transitions for tackling the situation effectively in India. The recommendation is the required
sensitive and balanced approach which addressed the nutrition and economic transitions to
effectively tackle this situation in India.

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Bibliography
Bourgeois, N., Brauer, P., & Simpson, J. (2016). Interventions for prevention of childhood
obesity in primary care: a qualitative study. CMAJ Open, 4(2), E194–E199.
H Ranjani, T. M. (2016). Epidemiology of childhood overweight & obesity in India: A
systematic review. The Indian journal of medical research, 143(2), 160.