Prevalence and associated factors of overweight and obesity among primary school children: a cross-sectional study in Thanhhoa City, Vietnam

Objective To determine the prevalence and associated factors of overweight and obesity among primary school children (6-11 years old) in Thanhhoa city in 2021. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Seven primary schools in Thanhhoa city, Vietnam. Participants 782 children (and their parents). Primary and secondary outcome measures Two-stage cluster random sampling was used for selecting children and data were collected from January to February 2021. A self-administrated questionnaire was designed for children and their parents. Children's height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI)-for-age z-scores were computed using the WHO Anthro software V.1.0.4. Data were analysed using R software V.4.1.2. The associations between potential factors and childhood overweight/obesity were analysed through univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Variables were selected using the Bayesian Model Averaging method. Results The prevalence of overweight/obesity among primary school children in Thanhhoa city was 35.93% (overweight 21.61% and obesity 14.32%). The proportion of overweight girls was nearly equal to that of boys (20.78% and 22.52%, respectively, p=0.6152) while the proportion of boys with obesity was four times as many as that of girls (23.86% and 5.62%, respectively, p<0.0001). Child's sex was the factor significantly associated with childhood overweight/obesity. Boys had double the risk of being overweight/obese than girls (adjusted OR: aOR=2.48, p<0.0001). Other potential factors which may be associated with childhood overweight/obesity included mode of transport to school, the people living with the child, mother's occupation, father's education, eating confectionery, the total time of doing sports, and sedentary activities. Conclusion One in every three primary school children in Thanhhoa city were either overweight or obese. Parents, teachers and policy-makers can implement interventions in the aforementioned factors to reduce the rate of childhood obesity. In forthcoming years, longitudinal studies should be conducted to determine the causal relationships between potential factors and childhood overweight/obesity.

Automated summary

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of overweight and obesity among primary school children in Thanhhoa city. The results showed that the prevalence of overweight/obesity was 35.93%, with higher rates among boys than girls. Child's sex was found to be significantly associated with childhood overweight/obesity. Other potential factors included mode of transport to school, people living with the child, parents' occupation and education, eating habits, and physical activity. The findings highlight the importance of interventions targeting these factors to reduce the rate of childhood obesity.