Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #115481

Emmanuel Keku, MD, MSPH¹, Patrick Gerard, PhD², Mario Sims, PhD¹, and Daniel Sarpong, PhD¹. (1) Jackson State University, Jackson Heart Study, 350 W. Woodrow Wilson Dr., Suite 701, Jackson, MS 39213, 601-368-4639, emmanuel.o.keku@jsums.edu, (2) Ag Information Science & Education, Mississippi State University, Mailstop 9653, Dorman Hall, Rm 149, Mississippi State, MS 39762

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence and correlates of overweight in public school children in Tupelo, Mississippi. Methods: 332 School children (aged 5-15 years) were randomly selected from 5 randomly selected elementary and middle schools. The children were recruited from kindergarten, grades 2, 3, 5 and 8. Consent letters were sent to parents of randomized school children informing them about the study. School health center files for the fall of 2000 were reviewed for the school children. Study variables included age, race, sex, single or dual parent, weight, and height. Overweight in children was defined as body mass index (BMI) > or = 95th percentile of the sex-specific BMI-for-age growth chart (CDC Growth Charts, US 2000). Results: We reviewed 332 files and excluded 47 files because of missing study variables. Analysis of the sample (White-males (WM) 30%, White-females (WF) 33%, African-American-males (AAM) 16%, African-American-females (AAF) 20% and other 1%) showed the following prevalence of overweight: AAM 29.8%, AAF 31.6%, WM 29.1% and WF 8.6%. Overweight among the kindergarten, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 8th grades were 35.3%, 19.4%, 15.8%, 22.7% and 22.5%, respectively. Logistic regression model of race, sex, family structure and age group, indicated race (p = 0.001), sex (p=0.0008), interaction of race-sex (p=0.02), and interaction of age group-sex (p=0.03) were predictors of overweight. AAM, AAF and WM were heavier than WF. Conclusion: The study showed excessive weight in the school children of Tupelo, Mississippi. Overall estimated prevalence of overweight in the school children is approximately twice the national average.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the session, participants will be able to

• Define overweight in children and adolescents
• Know the prevalence of overweight school children in Tupelo, MS
• Know the correlates of overweight in Tupelo, MS

Keywords: Maternal and Child Health, Obesity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.