Association of school children's overweight and obesity with maternal overweight and obesity in the rural areas

Childhood obesity is one of the most important health problems in developed and developing countries that may result from the parents’ overweight. This study aimed to compare the status of obesity and overweight in the children of overweight or obese mothers with the children whose mothers were not overweight or obese.

In this cross-sectional study, 249 elementary-school children from Bijar, Kordestan, Iran were selected using simple random sampling. Children's food intake and physical activities and mother's and children's anthropometric (weight and height) indices were measured by standard method. The relationship between overweight or obesity of the mothers with overweight or obesity of the children was assessed and analyzed by logistic regression.

Body mass index (P value < 0.01) and maternal age (P value<0.01) were significantly higher in the children of overweight or obese mothers compared to children whose mothers were not overweight or obese. No significant differences were found between the two groups of children in regard to energy intake, physical activity, and consumption of the main food groups. Overweight or obesity of the mothers significantly increased the risk of overweight or obesity in the children after adjustment for age, sex, physical activity, energy intake, and maternal age. (Odds ratio: 3.00, P value = 0.04).

According to the results of this study, overweight or obesity of the mother can be associated with the likelihood of overweight and obesity in the school age children in rural areas and this relationship is independent of energy intake, physical activity, and consumption of different food groups.