ISSN:(O) 2320-5407, ISSN(P) 3107-4928 Int. J. Adv. Res.

13(11), November-2025, 56-62

Journal Homepage: - www.journalijar.com

Article DOI: 10.21474/IJAR01/22086

DOI URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/22086

RESEARCH ARTICLE

PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY: A COMMUNITY

SURVEY IN KERALA
Nimmy Augustine1, Johnson LK2, Anisha Shaji3, Senthilkumar T4, Alphonse Johnson5, Anjusha K Shaju5,
Arya B Jose5, Avani Prakash5, Joel Jaison5, Sandra P Prakash5 and Sreedevi PV5

1. Associate Professor.
2. Vice Principal.
3. Lecturer.
4. Professor Cum Principal.
5. B.Sc. Nursing Students,Lourde College of Nursing, Taliparamba, Kannur, Kerala.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………....
Manuscript Info Abstract
……………………. ………………………………………………………………
Manuscript History Introduction: Childhood obesity is a growing health problem around
Received: 04 September 2025 the world. More and more children are becoming overweight or obese,
Final Accepted: 06 October 2025 and this trend has increased a lot over the past few decades. The latest
Published: November 2025 World Obesity Atlas was published by the World Obesity Federation in
March 2024 to coincide with World Obesity Day. The Atlas estimates
Key words:-
Childhood Obesity, Prevalence of that as of 2020, there are 33 million children in India who are living
Obesity, Risk factors of Obesity, with overweight and obesity. This works out to an overall prevalence of
Community Survey. 9% of overweight and obesity among children below the age of 20
years. Overweight and obesity rates are projected to grow annually by
6.2% every year. Multiple factors contribute to the development of
obesity in children, including genetic predisposition, environmental
influences, socio-economic status, and behavioural factors such as poor
diet and physical inactivity. Increased consumption of high-calorie,
nutrient-poor foods, coupled with sedentary behaviours like excessive
screen time, plays a significant role in the rising prevalence.
Aim: The present study aimed to assess the risk of obesity among
children aged 6-11 years, in a selected community, Kannur District.
Methods:A quantitative research survey approach,using Family Planni
ng Nutrition Assessment(FNPA)screening tool was conducted. The
sample consisted of 300 mothers of children aged 6-11 years in a
selected community, selected through convenient sampling. The data
were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics based on
the objectives of the study.

"© 2025 by the Author(s). Published by IJAR under CC BY 4.0. Unrestricted use allowed
with credit to the author."
……………………………………………………………………………………………………....
Results: The results of the study depicted that most (78%) of the children had moderate risk of obesity, whereas
20% of them had low risk of obesity. Only 2% of the children had high risk of developing obesity. There was a
significant association between risk of obesity and demographic variable consumption of junk foods (< (0.044).
Discussion: The study conducted among children aged 6-11 years revealed that our children are at high risk of

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Corresponding Author:- Nimmy Augustine
Address:-Associate Professor.
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obesity during their childhood period itself. Urgent actions should be initiated to tackle this dangerous situation to
ensure the health of our future citizens.

Introduction:-
Background of the Study:-
Obesity in early childhood is a growing concern world-wide with far reaching consequences for physical and mental
health, cognitive development and for future economic productivity. Children under five years are vulnerable
population and obesity during this period can lead to chronic diseases and cognitive and emotional delay 4. Multiple
factors contribute to the development of obesity in children, including genetic predisposition, environmental
influences, socio-economic status, and behavioural factors such as poor diet and physical inactivity. Increased
consumption of high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods, coupled with sedentary behaviours like excessive screen time,
plays a significant role in the rising prevalence1.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Kannur district, Kerala to estimate the prevalence of
overweight and obesity in school children aged 5-12 yrs. The sample consisted of 2400 school children from
government & private schools using cluster sampling technique. Three private and two govt schools were selected
using simple random method from these strata. Study variables used in this study were age, sex, socioeconomic
status, birth weight, blood pressure, maternal education, television viewing, monthly income of parents,
government/private school and family size. Data analysis was done using descriptive & inferential statistics. The
results revealed that around 3% of the children was obese, 7% was overweight and 18% of them were having
underweight. It was also observed that girls are more prone than boys to develop persistent obesity during
adolescence. There was a significant association between monthly income of parents and overweight. The
correlation between BMI and waist hip ratio showed that BMI is positively correlated with obesity and overweight,
but with normal and underweight, this correlation is not statistically significant. The researchers concluded that
obesity and overweight are increasing in young population due to lifestyle changes and various risk factors and it is
the need of the hour to tackle this issue for a healthy future 2.

Need for the study:-

A cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the prevalence of overweight & obesity among affluent school
children in Thrissur from November 2019 to October 2020. One school was selected using lottery method and
universal sampling method was applied in the school to select 1104 students. Data were collected using a semi-
structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Data analysis was done using descriptive & inferential
statistics. The results depicted that 13.9% of the children had overweight and 7.3% were obese. The combined
prevalence of overweight & obesity was 21.2%. It was also found that prevalence of obesity & overweight was
23.7% among boys & 18.2% among girls. The prevalence of overweight and obesity increases with age and the
results are statistically significant. The researchers concluded that Prevalence of obesity is increasing
because of rapid economic and industrial growth, improvement in living standards; overeating of energy dense
foods, decreased physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, playing of computer games and television viewing for longer
duration. So, appropriate steps must be initiated to tackle this issue 3.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was done to assess the prevalence and risk factors of overweight and obesity in
school children of Kottayam district, Kerala, India. From Government & private schools, 2 strata were made using
cluster sampling technique. One class from each standard was selected using simple random sampling. All students
from selected classes were selected and the sample consisted of 1200 children aged 5-12 years. Body mass index
was calculated using the formula weight in kilograms (kg) divided by height in meter square (m 2). The Body Mass
Index percentile were plotted according to the age and gender specific BMI charts obtained from CDC. Data
analysis was done using descriptive & inferential statistics. The results revealed that 54.75% were girls and 45.25%
were boys. It was also found that 58.6% of them were in private schools and 41.4% were in Government schools.
Around 3% of the students had obesity & 7% of them had overweight. Chi square test was done to find the
association and it was found that obesity and Overweight were found to be significantly related to age (p value=
0.000 and 0.001) and gender (p value= 0.000 and 0.041) respectively. It was also found that overweight and obesity
was significantly related to school. (P=0.000) whereas overweight was significantly related to family size (P=
0.039), meanwhile obesity was not significantly related to family size (P= 0.076). The researchers concluded that
childhood obesity is increasing at an alarming speed and it must be addressed with immediate attention 4. Childhood
obesity is the most prevalent nutritional disorder among children worldwide. Multiple factors contribute to the

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development of obesity in children, including genetic predisposition, environmental influences, socio-economic

status, and behavioural factors such as poor diet and physical inactivity. Increased consumption of high-calorie,
nutrient-poor foods, coupled with sedentary behaviours like excessive screen time, plays a significant role in the
rising prevalence. Obesity in childhood is further associated with a wide range of serious health complications,
including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, orthopaedic problems, and psychological issues such as low self-
esteem and depression. Moreover, obese children are more likely to become obese adults, further compounding their
risk of chronic disease and premature mortality1.

Problem statement:-
A study to assess the prevalence and risk factors of obesity among children in a selected community, Kannur
District, Kerala.

Objectives:
The objectives of the study were to: -
 assess the prevalence and risk factors of obesity among children
 associate between risk of obesity and selected demographic variables.

Hypotheses:
To achieve the stated objectives the hypothesis will be tested at 0.05 level of significance.
H1: There will be a significant association between risk of obesity and selected demographic variables.

Assumptions:
 children may have mild to severe risk of obesity
 obesity in children can have serious consequences in their future life.
 obesity in children can lead to psychological issues

Materials and Methods:-

Research Approach:
The study employed a quantitative survey research approach to systematically investigate the risk of obesity among
children in a selected community, Kannur.

Research design:
A descriptive research design was adopted to assess the risk of obesity among children in selected community.

Setting of study:
The study was conducted in a selected community of Kannur district.

Variables:
In this study, the risk of obesity among children was the dependent variable, whereas, extraneous variables were age,
gender, birth weight of the child, duration of breastfeeding, frequency of eating out, consumption of junk foods,
adequacy of drinking water and physical exercises.

Sample and sampling technique:

The sample in this study consisted of 300 mothers of children between age group of 6 to 11 years, selected through
convenient sampling, who are from a selected community and those who met the inclusion criteria.

Inclusion criteria:
 mothers who are willing to participate in the study
 mothers of children between the age group 6 to 11 years
 mothers who are available at the period of data collection

Exclusion criteria:
 mothers who are not willing to participate in the study
 mothers of children aged below 6 years and above 11 years
 mothers of children who were not available at the time of data collection

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 mothers of children diagnosed with medical conditions that affect the weight

Description of the tool:

Part A: Baseline characteristics:
The first part of the tool consisted of 8 items related to the baseline characteristics of the children, that include age,
gender, birth weight of the child, breastfeeding duration, eating out habits, consumption of junk foods, adequacy of
drinking water and physical activities per day.

Part B: The Family Nutrition and Physical Activity (FNPA) screening tool:
The investigators used a standard tool that consisted of 20 statements to assess the home environment and parenting
practices related to child’s risk for overweight & obesity. Using a 4-point Likert scale, it covers diet, physical
activity, screen time, consumption of junk foods and sleep habits. The options were almost never (1), sometimes (2),
usually (3) and almost always (4) for the positive statements and vice versa for the negative statements. The
maximum score was 80 and the least being 20. The investigators arbitrarily graded the prevalence of risk of obesity
among children.

Results:
Section A: Description of baseline characteristics:
 The results revealed that around 22.33% of the children were in the age group of 7- <8, whereas (20.67%) of
them were in the age group of 9-<10. Only (19.67%) of them were in the age group of 10-<11 and very less
proportions, ie, (18.67%) belonged to the age group of 6-<7 and 8-<9. It was also found that majority (51.67%)
of the samples were boys and the rest, ie, 48.33% were girls.
 Results depicted that around 56% of the children had a birth weight of 2kg-<3kg, and 34% of them had birth
weight of 3kg-<4kg. Very small proportions, ie, 8% of them had a birth weight >4kg and only 2% of them had
birth weight <2kg. It was also identified that majority (33%) of the children were breastfed from 1 year – 1 and
half year whereas 26.33% of the children were given breastmilk from 6month – 1year. Around 19% of the
children were given breastmilk from 1 and half year – 2years and 15.67% of the children were breastfed for >2
years. Very few proportions, ie, 6% of the children were given breastmilk for <6months.
 It was identified that around 59.33% of children do not go out to eat food frequently whereas 40.67% of
children go out to eat food frequently. Results also revealed that most (89.67%) of children were consuming
junk foods while 10.33% were not consuming junk foods. Majority (60.33%) of children consumed candy while
49% of children had fried foods. Around 43.33% of children used to have sugary drinks and 41.33% of children
consumed fast foods. Almost 38.37% of the children had the intake of processed snacks.
 It was found that most (83%) of children used to drink adequate amount of water per day and only 17% of the
children did not drink adequate amount of water per day. Results showed that most (82.67%) of children had
adequate physical activity and only 17.33% of them did not have adequate physical activity.

Section B: Description of prevalence of risk of obesity among childrenn=300

Grading Range Severity of visual media addiction

Frequency Percentage

High risk 20 – 40 06 2

Moderate risk 41 – 60 234 78

Low risk 61 - 80 60 20

Table No.1. Percentage distribution of prevalence of risk of obesity among children.

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Figure. No.1. Bar diagram shows prevalence of the risk of obesity among children.
The data in the above table & figure reveal that 78% of the children have a moderate risk of obesity, while 2% of
them have a high risk. Around 20% of them have a low risk of obesity.

Table. No.2. Range, mean, median and standard deviation of prevalence of risk of obesity among
children n=300
Variables Range Mean Median Sd

Risk of obesity 33 - 70 55.42 56 6.336

Maximum score - 80
The data presented in the above table show that the mean, median, and standard deviation of prevalence of risk of
obesity among children were 55.42, 56 and 6.336 respectively.

Table No. 3. Association between prevalence of risk of obesity among children and selected demographic
variables.n=300
χ2 P
Sl. Variables df value Inference
value
No.
1 Age 114.01 128 0.807 Not significant
2 Gender 30.508 32 0.542 Not significant
3 Birth weight of child 120.308 96 0.47 Not Significant
4 Breast feeding duration 154.537 128 0.55 Not Significant
5 Eating out habits 30.378 32 0.549 Not significant
6 Consumption of junk foods 46.77 32 0.044* Significant*
7 Adequacy of drinking water per
day 39.790 32 0.162 Not Significant
8 Adequacy of physical activity
29.082 32 0.615 Not Significant

P<0.05 *significant
To find the association between prevalence of risk of obesity and selected demographic variables, following null
hypothesis was stated.

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H01: There will be no significant association between prevalence of risk of obesity and selected demographic
variables
The data in the above table reveal that there was a significant association between junk food (0.044) and prevalence
of risk of obesity among children. It was also found that there was no significant association between age, gender,
birth weight, breastfeeding duration, eating out habits, adequacy of drinking water per day and adequate physical
activity and hence the test is statistically significant at P<0.05 level. So, the null hypothesis was rejected, and the
research hypothesis was accepted.

Implication of the study:

The results obtained from the study helped the researchers to derive certain implications for Nursing practice,
Nursing education, Nursing administration and Nursing research.

Nursing practice:
As nursing professionals, student nurses can practice various strategies for prevention of obesity like weight
reduction, adequate physical activity, avoidance of junk food consumption and having plenty of water etc and it can
be taught to public through various awareness programs.

Nursing education:
The present study emphasizes the urgent need of health education and awareness programs regarding the prevention
of childhood obesity among children on a wide-spread manner and nursing students must take initiatives for the
same.

Nursing administration:
Nurses as administrators can play a key role in educating the children through mass education program and other
initiatives regarding prevention of obesity among children. Health administrators can take preventive actions to
speed up the preventive measures of obesity among children.

Nursing research:
The findings of the study also have scope in the field of research and based on the recommendations; future studies
can be conducted so that more information regarding the issue can be brought into light.

Conclusion:-
Obesity in children is a major health concern of the developed world. The National Health & Nutrition Examination
Survey has reported that the prevalence of obesity is increasing in all paediatric age groups, both in males &
females. Many factors contribute to this situation including eating habits, genetics, environment, metabolism and life
style practices. Obesity can be countered through lower calorie consumption, proper exercise patterns and healthy
lifestyles including adequate physical activity.

Ethical clearance: The ethical clearance of this study was obtained from the Institutional Ethical Committee (IEC)
of Lourde College of Nursing.

Source of funding: Self-funded project within the Institution.

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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