Prevalence of obesity, weight perception and dietary behaviour of urban college going girls
Tiwari, P.; Sankhala, A.
Journal of Human Ecology 21(3): 181-183
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 0970-9274 DOI: 10.1080/09709274.2007.11905969Document Number: 239765
The present study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of obesity, weight perception and dietary behavior Of urban college going girls of Udaipur (Rajasthan).A sample of one thousand girls (18-24 yrs) were screened for their height, weight and BMI to determine the prevalence of obesity. At second stage, 30 girls were selected from each of the three weight status categories i. e., normal, overweight and obese to study the weight perception and dietary behaviour of the subjects. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in college going girls was 5.6 and 4.4 percent respectively. A sizeable proportion of study population (55 percent) had misconception regarding their actual body weight. Majority of subjects preferred fat and energy dense foods with more frequent inclusion by overweight and obese girls. The frequency of consumption of cheese, butter, jam, jellies and soft drinks was also higher in case of overweight and obese subjects.