Overweight and obesity among affluent Bengalee schoolgirls of Lake Town, Kolkata, India.

A cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among 431 Bengalee schoolgirls aged 6–9 years in Kolkata, India. Anthropometric measurements of height and weight were made on 431 girls. The body mass index (BMI) was computed following the standard equation. Overweight and obesity was defined following the internationally accepted BMI cut-off points. Results revealed that the overall rates of overweight and obesity were 17.63% and 5.10%, respectively. A steady increase in number of overweight individuals was observed from 6 to 9 years. The prevalence of overweight among affluent Bengalee children was higher than those reported from other Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]