Author(s): Dr. Shilpa Deshpande

Abstract:
Adolescents comprise about 20 percent of the global population of which 80 percent lives in the developing countries Adolescence is a period of rapid growth and development as 80 percent of growth is completed in early adolescence. At the same time it is a high risk period for weight gain. Considering this fact many researchers are now focusing on issues related to overnutrition in adolescence. The magnitude of the problem among children and adolescents in India is unclear due to paucity of well-conducted nationwide studies and lack of uniformity in the cut-points used to define childhood overweight and obesity. Maharashtra is economically advanced state in the country. Present study was conducted to know prevalence of overweight and obesity in Aurangabad school children and socio demographic factors associated with it. Birth order, standard, religion, family member count, medium of education, father’s education, mother’s occupation, parental obesity, family residence,s.e.s. found to be statistically significant factors.