Pattern of Physical Activity and Its Association with Overweight and Obesity: A Cross-sectional Study among School-going Adolescents in Rohtak District, Haryana, India

Introduction: One of the most significant lifestyle-related health determinants is physical activity. Daily moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking, cycling, or participating in sports, has many health benefits. Physical activity, which is one of the most important health-protective behaviours in today's world, appears to be declining among teenagers. Regular physical activity is proven to help prevent and manage non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and several cancers. It also helps maintain healthy body weight and can improve mental health, quality of life and well-being.

Aim and Objectives: To investigate the pattern of physical activity and its relationship to overweight and obesity in rural school-aged adolescents.

Materials and Methods: A one-year cross-sectional study was carried out in Rohtak district's Lakhanmajra block (rural block) from July 2016 to June 2017. The study included 750 students from six co-educational government senior secondary schools. The data was collected using a pre-planned, pre-tested semi-structured interview schedule and analysed using SPSS version 20.0.

Results: Overweight and obesity were prevalent in 6.7% and 1.1 % of the population, respectively.

Obesity/overweight was found in 10.3 percent of the study subjects who were not in the habit of doing any exercise after getting up in the morning. Approximately one-fourth (25.6%) of the study subjects who slept in the afternoon or evening were obese/overweight. Overweight/obesity was significantly associated with the habit of playing daily, its duration, and sleeping in the afternoon/evening. Conclusion: Obesity is caused by a lack of physical activity, which contributes to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. As a result, it is critical to resolve this issue and develop initiatives and strategies to prevent adolescent overweight and obesity. Physical activity should be promoted in children not only for weight loss but also for overall health.