title: Dietary patterns in urban school children in South India.
abstract: The dietary patterns and extent of overweight in 307 urban school going children aged 7 to 15 years representing various socio-economic strata was evaluated at baseline of a 3 year longitudinal study. Dietary habits were recorded through interviewer-administered questionnaires. Height and weight were measured and 8.2% of the children were over-weight or obese. Children from higher socio-economic strata had higher total and saturated fat intakes and lower carbohydrate intakes (P < 0.01). Daily energy intakes increased with increased frequency of eating out (P < 0.001). Therefore, promoting healthy eating in schools is important.
authors.affiliation: St. John's Research Institute, St. John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India. sumathi@iphcr.res.in
authors.forename: Sumathi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Swaminathan
authors.forename: Tinku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Anura V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kurpad
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014504:Urban Health