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ISSN-0303-5212 |
| The
Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association Rawalpindi - Islamabad |
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Volume 34, Number 2, July - Dec. 2009 |  |
| Original article |
| Childhood obesity and physical activity patterns in an urban primary school in Thailand |
| Maryam Amini,1 Amirmansour Alavi-Naini,2 A'azam Doustmohammadian,1 Mansour Karajibani,3 Alireza Khalilian,4 Sakineh Nouri-Saeedloo,5 Mahin Salimi,6 Khosro Shafaghi7 |
| Objective This study aimed to assess childhood obesity and physical activity patterns in an urban Thailand primary school. Method In a case-control study, 85 male and female school children, aged 10-12-years old, were randomly selected from a school in Nakhon Pathom province, Thailand. Anthropometric data, including weight and height were collected. Obese or overweight children were considered as case group. Obesity was defined as percentile = 95th, and overweight was defined as percentile = 85, of the sex- specific BMI-for-age growth CDC charts. A routine activity checklist evaluated different activities of the children during weekdays and on weekends. Based on CDC site, all activities were classified as light, moderate or heavy. Results There was a significant difference between sleeping hours of case and control groups on weekends (P=0.000), and control group had longer sleeping periods. The case group had less moderate activity on weekdays and weekends, but there was no statistically significant difference between case and control group. The hours of light activities on weekends in the control group were significantly less than that in the obese group (P<0.000). Conclusions Physical activity pattern of the school children was different in case and control groups. However, daily activity of children does not relate directly to obesity in children. (Rawal Med J 2009;34:203-206). |
| Key Words: Obesity, child obesity, physical activity. |
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