Statistical analysis of the prevalence and trend of obesity in elementary school children in Kwangju

Moon, Kyung Rae; Park, Young Bong

Abstract

To estimate the prevalence and trend of obesity in primary school-age children, obesity survey was performend in children aged 6 to 12 years(5,226 boys and 5,048 girls)in Kwangju in 1991. Obesity was defined as overweight if more than 20 per cent above the median weight for height and age(relative weight>120%). The following results were obtained: 1) The prevalence of obesity that exceeded the weight centiles at each height by more than 97th percentile was 8.78. Boys (9.70%)was not significantly higher than in girls(7.82%)(p>0.05). 2) The prevalence of obesity that exceeded the standard weight for height by more than 20% was 8.82%. Among them, 5.45% were mild obesity and 2.93% were moderate obesity and 0.44% were severe obesity. The prevalence rate of obesity was no significant differences by sex(p>0.05). 3) Regionally, the prevalence of obesity was a lower rate in Kwangiu in 1991 (8.82%)than that in Seoul in 1989(11.68%).