Assistant Professor, PG Department of Zoology, DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh
*Corresponding Author: Manju Dewan, Assistant Professor, PG Department of Zoology, DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, E-mail: manjudewan72@gmail.com
Online published on 19 August, 2017.
Obesity in children and adolescents is gradually becoming a major public health problem in many developing countries, including India. Families especially working mothers have fewer free moments to spend with children and to prepare nutritious and home-cooked meals. From traditional foods to fast foods and quick to easy foods have significant relationship with childhood obesity.
A multistage random cluster sampling procedure was used to draw sample from this region. Children and adolescents aged 10–19 years were selected randomly for questioning regarding the different aspects of epidemiology and their health examination was done.
In the present study 24.71% children were living in joint family while 75.29% living in nuclear family and the prevalence obesity and diabetes was more in the children who were part of the nuclear family. 23.19% mothers of the studied subjects were working.
This study identified the role of mother's occupation and time spent by parents with children with wrong eating habits and physical inactivity. Sensitization of parents is one of the curative measures to curtail this rising threat of obesity.
Obesity, nuclear family, joint family, children, adolescent
