Overweight and obesity prevalence among upper Egypt primary schools' children using Egyptian and CDC growth charts

Monitoring of overweight and obesity among children; by using different growth charts; is fundamental to disease prevention and health promotion.

To determine overweight and obesity for age among primary school children in Upper Egypt using the Egyptian and CDC growth charts.

Cross-sectional research design was used and conducted at 20 public primary schools in four Upper Egypt governorates. The sample size was 5300 children who selected by multistage sampling technique. Interview questionnaire included personal data and anthropometric measurements (height, Weight and BMI) and Egyptian and CDC growth charts.

The percentages of children being overweight and obese for age using Egyptian chart were low compared to CDC charts (1.9 vs 4.6%, 8.5% vs. 3.3%, 8.7% vs 3.3% respectively). According to Egyptian chart 5.2% and 5% from total studied boys and girls were overweight and obese respectively, while in CDC growth chart 13.3% and 10.5% from total studied boys and girls respectively.

It concluded that there were remarkable differences between CDC and Egyptian growth charts references in the classification of child overweight and obesity. The CDC growth chart evident much higher prevalence among the studied children compared to the Egyptian growth chart.

Periodic development and reconstruction of national growth chart to represent the growth pattern of all geographical areas in Egypt. Also, further researches needed to assess the differences of both international and national references.