Sri Lanka Journal of Medicine (Jul 2021)

Prevalence of overweight, obesity and metabolic abnormalities among 12-15 year age group in an urban city in Sri-Lanka

  • D. V. K. Kiridana,
  • R. R. Karunaratne,
  • J. M. Ranasinghe,
  • T. S. Munasinghe,
  • U. I. Karunadasa,
  • G. Vidanapathirana,
  • S. P. Abeygoonaratne,
  • M. Perera,
  • A. N. B. Bogahapitiya,
  • G. Jayathilaka,
  • J. Udupihilla,
  • S. Tennakoon,
  • C. Abeysekera

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4038/sljm.v30i1.232
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 30, no. 1
pp. 16 – 24

Abstract

Read online

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of childhood overweight, obesity and metabolic abnormalities among children aged 12-15 years within the schools in Kandy Municipality area, Sri Lanka. Design: Cross- sectional descriptive study. Setting: Schools in Kandy municipality area Methods: The anthropometric measurements of 1766 school children were taken and those who were overweight or obese were recruited for evaluation of metabolic abnormalities. Overweight and obesity were defined according to the WHO standards. Results: There were 1053 (59.63%) boys and 713 (40.37%) girls of whom 258 (14.60%) were either overweight or obese (7.81% overweight and 6.79% obese). Central obesity was seen in 299 (16.93%) and 88 (5.01%) of them had normal body mass index. Eighty-five children out of the 258 with body mass index > 1 SD reported for further evaluation and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among this sub group was 11.67% (5 girls and 5 boys). When borderline and abnormal levels of lipids were taken together, more than 50% of overweight and obese children were found to have dyslipidaemia. Elevated Alanine Amino Transaminase and Aspartate Amino Transaminase levels were reported in 33 (38.82%) and 7 (8.24%) respectively. Evidence of fatty liver was present in 34.69% based on abdominal ultra sound scan findings. Conclusion: While prevalence rates of overweight, obesity and metabolic syndrome are comparable with other urban settings in the country as well as neighbouring countries in Asia, the study highlights the detection of lipid abnormalities suggestive of familial hyperlipidaemia which warrants further evaluation. NAFLD is also identified as a significant comorbidity.

Keywords