Height, Weight and Body Mass Index of Girls and Boys in a Rural School in Punjab India

Kahlon Talwinder; Singh Amarjit; Mahajan Alpna; Chiu Mei Amp Ndash Chen

Volume : V, Issue : IX, September - 2015

Height, Weight and Body Mass Index of Girls and Boys in a Rural School in Punjab India

Kahlon Talwinder, Singh Amarjit, Mahajan Alpna, Chiu Mei Amp Ndash Chen

Abstract :

In a rural school in Punjab, weight and height were monitored monthly for 12 consecutive months for 632 students, age 8–23 years. Using international Body Mass Index (BMI) standard 20% of the students would be considered severely thin (BMI <16). 6–7% with would be considered overweight (BMI 25–29.99) and less than 1% obese (BMI >30). Two unit lower BMI standards are appropriate for Asian population, thus 2–3% were undernourished (BMI <14) and 60–61% with ideal weight BMI 16.5–22.99. 10.3% girls and 11.6% boys were overweight and 2.7% girls and 2.5% boys were obese. Adopting regular higher physical activity and lower caloric intake along with monthly monitoring weight and height could make significant impact on the obesity epidemic and lower the risk of related diseases. Early age education and habits has the potential to last life time to make world population healthy, productive, and physically fit.