COMPARISON OF BMI AMONG HIGH AND LOW SOCIOECONOMIC SCHOOL GOING POPULATION

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the research is the comparison of BMI among high and low socioeconomic school going population

Study Design: Comparative Cross-Sectional study

Study Duration: 06 months from August 24-Janurary 25

Study Place: Department of Pediatrics, CMH Lahore

Methods: It was a comparative cross-sectional study carried in sampled urban and semi-urban government and private schools that represented the low and high socioeconomic status respectively, and the study was conducted with the consent of the institutional ethical committee. Multistage random sampling was used to select students, both male and female. BMI was calculated with the help of the standardized methods of measurement and was interpreted based on the WHO developmental references. The SPSS version 26 was used to analyze the data, and the independent t-tests and Chi-square tests were applied, and p < 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant.

Results: 240 students (120 government and 120 private; 50% boys and girls) were included. There was no difference in mean age (p > 0.05). The mean BMI was 18.5 kg/m 2, and BMI among students of private schools was significantly high compared to that among students of government schools (19.8± 3.1 vs 17.2 ±2.8 kg/m ²; p = 0.001). Boys and girls of both the private schools were found to have higher BMI at all grades. The progression on BMI was higher as the grade level went up and more so among the students in the private school which showed the body weight was more socioeconomically influenced.

Conclusion: A high correlation was found between socioeconomic status and BMI in school children, whereby the children in private schools of the same gender and grade have higher BMI. Specific school-based interventions are necessary to respond to both undernutrition in state schools and the increasing overweight among the private schools and achieve healthy development and population wellbeing.