World health organization-body mass index for age criteria as a tool for prediction of childhood and adolescent morbidity: a novel approach in southern Karnataka, India

ABSTRACT

Health status of children and adolescents is determined to a larger extent by their nutritional status. There are no published studies available on the influence of thinness on childhood morbidity using new World Health Organization-body mass index [WHO-BMI] for age criteria. This cross-sectional study was conducted in primary, high schools, pre-university and degree colleges at southern Karnataka for a period of 1 year. Majority 6924 [53.6%] were in the age group of 15-19 years with the mean age of 14.2 +/- 3.1 years. 6167 [47.7%] were males and 6749 [52.3%] were females. As per WHO growth standards for children between 5 and 19 years, taking BMI for age criteria into account, 9092 [70.4%] subjects were found to be normal, 3660 [28.3%] thin and 164 [1.3%] overweight/obesity. 8224 [63.7%] subjects were suffering from some sort of morbidities. Mean morbidities rank for subjects with thinness was found to be significantly higher compared with normal and overweight/obese subjects. Thinness was found to be the major predictor of morbidity age, sex and residing in rural areas. Magnitude of thinness among children and adolescents was 28.3%. BMI for age criteria was found to be a significant predictor of childhood and adolescent morbidity