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Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity among Iranian School Children in Different Ethnicities

Seyed-Jalil Mirmohammadi1, Rahmatollah Hafezi, Amir Houshang Mehrparvar

  • 1Department of Occupational Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

Iranian Journal of Pediatrics
|October 12, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Childhood overweight and obesity are significant health issues. This study found ethnic variations in body mass index (BMI) among Iranian children, with higher prevalence in boys.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Anthropometry

Background:

  • Childhood overweight and obesity represent critical global health challenges with long-term implications.
  • Prevalence rates of overweight and obesity exhibit variability across different racial groups, sexes, and geographic regions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and distribution of overweight and obesity among Iranian children aged 7-18 years.
  • To examine the influence of ethnicity, gender, and age on body mass index (BMI) in this pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 30,092 Iranian children from six distinct ethnic groups, selected via cluster sampling.
  • Measurement of body mass index (BMI) and assessment of overweight and obesity prevalence using Iranian and International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) standards.
  • Analysis of BMI distribution based on gender, age, and ethnic background.

Main Results:

  • A statistically significant variation in BMI was observed across different ethnic groups.
  • The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity in Iranian children was 9.27% and 3.22%, respectively, when compared to international benchmarks.
  • Overweight and obesity were found to be more frequent among boys compared to girls.

Conclusions:

  • Significant ethnic disparities exist in the body mass index (BMI) of Iranian children.
  • These findings underscore the importance of considering ethnic and gender factors in addressing childhood overweight and obesity in Iran.
Abstract

Keywords:
BMIEthnicityObesityOverweightSchool Children

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