ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in high school students in Birjand. This cross- sectional study was performed in 2005 in Birjand, on 2230 students [1115 boys and 1115 girls], 15-18 years old. Subjects were selected via a step wise random sampling from four districts of Birjand. Overweight and obesity was defined based on the 85[th] and 95[th] percentiles of body mass index for age and sex, respectively, as proposed by CDC in 2000. The overall prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were 6.1% and 2.3%, respectively. The prevalences of overweight were 5% in high school boys and 7.1% in girls; the prevalences of obesity were 2.8% in boys and 1.8% in girls of high schools. Overweight and obesity increased with the higher educational levels of father and mother, working fathers and private schools. According to this study, prevalences of overweight and obesity in Birjand adolescents are lower than in other areas of Iran; it is however necessary to perform further similar researches periodically in this area, to confirm these results