All issues > Volume 36(1); 1993

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1993;36(1):81-87. Published online January 15, 1993.

Statistical Analysis of the Prevalence and Trend of Obesity in Elementary School Children in Kwangju

Kyung Rae KR Moon¹, Young Bong YB Park¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Chosun University Collefge of Medicine, Kwang Jum Korea

Abstract

To estimate the prevalence and trend of obesity in primary school-age children, obesity survey was performed 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% were severe obesity. The prevalence rate of obesity was no significant differencess by sex (p>0.05). 3) Regionally, the prevalence rate of obesity was a lower rate in Kwangju in 1991(8.82%) than that in Seoul in 1989(11.68%).

Keywords :Obesity, Elementary school children