Abstract: Background:Obesity is defined by WHO “as a condition of abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in adipose tissue, to the extent that health may be impaired”. The problem of childhood obesity is quite high in rich and affluent countries^.

1. To estimate the prevalence of obesity among school children aged 6-15 years in three affluent schools of Tumkur.

2. To study the influencing factors of obesity among school children.

Methods: Study Design: Case Control study.

Study Settings: Three affluent schools of Tumkur city, Karnataka, South India. Sample size was2000 Students of three affluent schools and duration of study was fromJune to August 2014.

Each Child’s height and weight were measured by adopting standard procedure. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using BMI charts based on NCHS (national center for health statistics) standards. A child was considered obese if the BMI was > 95^th percentile cutoff point which is specific to the age and sex of the child. To determine the association of (life style) influencing factors of obesity in children, mothers were interviewed in presence of children to gather information’ about their child’s daily (24 hour) activity.

Results:Out of 2000 children 66 were obese. The prevalence was 3.3% in school children in the age group of 6-15 years in three affluent schools of Tumkur. In our study, Prevalence of obesity was more in boys (3.47%) on comparison to girls (3.04%). There is increased prevalence of obesity in age group of six, eleven and twelve years. In this study 77.2% cases spent less than 2 hrs in a day and 22.7% cases spent more than 2 hrs in physical activities. Prevalence of obesity was more in children who spent less than 2 hrs in a day in physical activities. This was statistically significant.

Conclusions:Prevalence of obesity in school children aged 6-15 yrs is 3.3% in three affluent schools of Tumkur. Prevalence of obesity was more in boys on comparison with girls. Physical activity was the significant influencing factor of obesity among school children.

Keywords: School children, Obesity, BMI, Prevalence.

Abstract: Background: Despite low birth weight (LBW) role on child growth, development, and survival in developing countries, it has not been given the desired priority in terms of research, at the national level in Nigeria. Our study aims to estimate the trend in the prevalence of small size babies and to identify its predictors using nationally representative data.

Methods: We used the 2013 and 2018 data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey using the statistical methods of descriptive analysis and logistic regression modelling.

Results: The proportion of babies reported to have small size at birth in Nigeria declined from 14.9% in 2013 to 13.7% in 2018. Various factors from demographic, socio-economic, and health-seeking behaviour were identified as significant predictors. Women who received iron pills and tetanus toxoids during pregnancy had at most 79% and 80% less risk of having small size babies, respectively, than those who received none of these two. Female children had at least 21% more chance of being small in size than male children. Other key predictors were geopolitical region, maternal age at child birth, maternal literacy level, wealth status, religion, source of water supply, number of ANC visits during pregnancy, and desirousness of pregnancy.

Conclusion: In light of the adverse effects of low birth weight on child well-being, we recommend the implementation and prioritization of active, resourceful public health interventions that account for the findings of this study, if Nigeria is to sustain the progress achieved so far in reducing its current high rate.

Keywords:  Prevalence, Trends, Risks factors, Small size baby, Low birth weight, Nigeria.

Abstract: Introduction: Malnutrition among under-5 year children is a common public health problem and it is one of the main reasons for the death of children in developing countries. About 35% of under-five children’s death is associated with malnutrition globally. There are 165 million stunted, 99 million under-weighted, and 51 million wasted children globally. In Ethiopia, more than half of child deaths are associated with malnutrition. The objective was to assess the prevalence of stunting and associated factors in children of 6-59 months old in central Tigray, Ethiopia.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in children of 6-59 months of age with a total sample size of 420. Systematic random sampling method was used. Data were coded and entered in the computer using SPSS version 20 Software and world health organization anthropometric version 3.3 was used to convert these nutritional data into Z-scores of the induces. Descriptive summary using frequencies, proportions, graphs and cross tabs is used to present study result. Binary Logistic regression analysis was carried out at two levels to identify factors associated with stunting

Result: The prevalence of stunting is 47% and variables like age of the mother, duration of breastfeeding and the way how to feed the child was the variable that had statistical significantly associated with stunting.

Conclusion: The prevalence of stunting is high and consistent as compared to other studies done in Ethiopia. This indicates that malnutrition among under-five in central Tigray is comparable with other regional states of Ethiopia.

Keywords:  Malnutrition, Stunting, Wasting, underweight, Ethiopia.

Abstract: The body weight gain of mice fed an obesity-inducing diet is suppressed by a mild restraint stress, but at the same time, as previously reported, the stress induces DNA damage in the cells of multiple organs. In the present study, we attempted to prevent not only the obesity but also the DNA damage of mice fed an obesity-inducing diet under a mild restraint with commercially available health-food drinks such as fruit and vegetable juices, soymilks, vinegars and lactic acid bacteria drinks, which are rich in antioxidants. The body weight gain of young female mice fed a high-fat diet containing 20% fat for 4 weeks was considerably inhibited by restraint for 15 min per day in weeks 2 to 4 of 4-week period. The inhibition was further promoted with the concomitant administration of health-food drinks noted above, and was accompanied by a decrease of periovular fat, a major abdominal fat in the female mice. The definite loss of energy intake in the mice given health-food drinks was approximately compensated by the energy of the drink administered. On the other hand, the increase of DNA damage generated by restraint in the cells of five organs – the liver, pancreas, spleen, heart and bone marrow – was markedly suppressed with the administration of these drinks. The results suggest that a combination of mild stress and intake of suitable health-food containing some antioxidants may inhibit lifestyle-related diseases including hyperlipidemia and obesity, which may contribute to the inhibition of metabolic syndrome and childhood obesity.

Keywords: health-food drinks, high-fat diet, restraint stress, obesity, DNA damage, dyslipidemia.