Prevalence of obesity and associated risk factors in chinese pre school children aged 6 to 72 months old in singapore 4

CHAPTER 4 4. DISCUSSION 4.1 Summary of the study Our study, part of a large population-based study titled “Strabismus, Amblyopia and Refractive Error in Singapore Chinese Preschoolers (STARS),” highlights the prevalence of overweight and obesity and its associated risk factors in Chinese preschool children aged 6 to 72 months in Singapore. The prevalence of overweight was 8.1% (“CDC BMI for age” reference), 7.6% (“IOTF BMI for age” reference) and 7.0% (“Singapore BMI for age” reference). The prevalence of obesity was 7.1% (“CDC BMI for age” reference), 3.9% (“IOTF BMI for age” reference) and 5.3% (“Singapore BMI for age” reference). Based on the “CDC BMI for age” reference, the prevalence of obesity in Chinese preschool children in the STARS was comparatively lower than that of children from the United States,57 Chile,,61,62 and Italy63. Our results showed that the prevalence, using the “IOTF BMI for age” reference, probably underestimated the overweight and obesity problem in our local paediatric population compared to the “CDC BMI for age” reference. However, the estimated prevalence of overweight and obesity based on the “CDC BMI for age” and “Singapore BMI for age” references were comparable, even though the cutoffs used to define overweight and obesity by the “Singapore BMI 118 for age” reference (the 90th and 97th percentiles for overweight and obese respectively) are slightly higher than for the “CDC BMI for age” reference (the 85th and 95th percentiles). Based on the “CDC BMI for age” reference, higher birth weight (p=[...]... all ethnicities of preschool -aged children in Singapore to evaluate the prevalence of overweight and obesity, and to compare the prevalence of overweight and obesity in preschool children among different ethnicities in Singapore Levels of risk could be identified in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among ethnic groups in Singapore to plan the strategies for the intervention of weight-related... have investigated the very early risk factors for overweight and obesity in preschool -aged children Likewise, our study examined the influences of the risk factors on the overweight /obesity in Singapore Chinese preschool children The possible predictors include birth weight, maternal prenatal history (maternal smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy), 132 breastfeeding, behavioral factors of. .. term and long term complications Further studies of the prevalence of overweight and obesity and the early associated factors should be conducted in multiethnic preschool -aged children in Singapore 1 46 REFERENCES 1 World Health Organization Redefining obesity and its treatment http://www.wpro.who.intr/NR/rdonlyres/0A35 147 B -45 A6-9FF2F7D 866 08AD4DE/0/Redefiningobesity.pdf 2 Guillaume M Defining obesity in. .. and temporal relationships between exposures and overweight and obesity cannot be ascertained Therefore, further cohort studies are needed to identify causal factors of overweight and obesity in Singapore preschool -aged children 4. 7 Conclusions In summary, our present study provides data of the prevalence of overweight and obesity and associated early risk factors in a very young age group (6 to 72 month old) ... overweight /obesity in 6 to 72 month old Singapore Chinese children was caused by the associated factors found in the current study 4 .6 Recommendations Obesity and its weight-related health consequences are important public health problems Although our study showed that the prevalence of overweight /obesity in Chinese preschool children in Singapore was lower than that of most Western countries, prevention and. .. 72 month old) of Singapore Chinese children The prevalence of overweight and obesity are 8.1% and 7.1%, respectively, among preschool -aged Chinese children in Singapore There is a trend of increasing prevalence of obesity as the age increases, but no such pattern is found in those in the overweight category Boys are more likely to be obese than girls although there is no gender differences for the prevalence. .. (6 to 72 month old) Our present study also examines the associated early risk factors of obesity in preschool Chinese children aged 6 to 72 month old in Singapore This is a population-based study with a large sample size of children (3,009) and a good response rate (72. 3%) from the large study area of SouthWestern and Western parts of Singapore This shows that selection bias is minimized, and it... comparison of the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Chinese preschool children in Singapore to plan public health programmes for prevention and intervention of overweight and obesity 4. 5 Limitations of the study The main limitation of the current study is the use of BMI to estimate body fatness Although it is a common, inexpensive and practical method of obesity measurement, it cannot distinguish... rural and urban areas of China In contrast, another study from China performed by Jiang J et al (20 06) 66 (n=930) showed an increasing trend of the prevalence of obesity with age The Chinese study 66 was conducted in children aged 2 6 years from randomly selected five large kindergartens in two urban districts of Beijing, China (response rate=89.1%) Insignificant difference between the age groups in the prevalence. .. adiposity rebound of approximately 6 years of age.78 In this second period of rapid growth in body fat, both the size and number of adipocytes increase,79,80 and it may be the reason for the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity in this age group of 60 .0 72. 0 months among the 24. 0 72. 0 months in our study Using the Singapore BMI for age” reference, the prevalence of obesity was highest in the youngest ... evaluating the prevalence of obesity in the very young age group (6 to 72 month old) Our present study also examines the associated early risk factors of obesity in preschool Chinese children aged. .. In summary, our present study provides data of the prevalence of overweight and obesity and associated early risk factors in a very young age group (6 to 72 month old) of Singapore Chinese children. .. The prevalence of overweight and obesity are 8.1% and 7.1%, respectively, among preschool -aged Chinese children in Singapore There is a trend of increasing prevalence of obesity as the age increases,