Abstract:
Childhood obesity is a rapidly growing nutritional
disorder in children. Metabolic derangements are
a common problem encountered in these children.
Research has shown the relationship between dietary
intake and metabolic derangement. We undertook
this study to see the relationship between metabolic
derangements and the level of physical activity.
We aimed to assess the relationship of metabolic
derangements and the level of physical activity among
obese and overweight children.
A hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study was
done in outpatient Paediatric clinics at the Teaching
Hospital Jaffna. Children aged 8- 14 years with BMI
above + 1SD were included in this study. The pattern of
physical activity was assessed using a Physical Activity
Questionnaire-S. Anthropometric measurements were
taken using standard procedures and details of the
laboratory investigations were obtained from the clinic
record done within the immediate past six months.
A total of 280 children were included. Nearly two-thirds
of children were obese 63.9% (n-178), and 8.6% (n-24)
and 2.9% (n-8) of children have impaired glucose and
DM respectively; 23.2% (n-64) of the children had equal
or more than 90th centile diastolic blood pressure, and
35% (n-98) had equal or more than 90th centile systolic
blood pressure and waist circumference. Insufficient
physical activity was seen in 44.3% (n-124) and 13.2%
(n- 37) of these children had metabolic syndrome.
