title: Physical activity patterns among school children in India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of physical activity and its relation with socio-demographic variables and eating habits among school-aged children in India.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study incorporated secondary analysis of anthropometric measurements and questionnaires on lifestyle and dietary habits of 1,680 school children aged between 3 and 11 y, obtained while carrying out the OBEY-AD project. The inventory contained questions about several variables concerning to physical activity, educational background, lifestyles and eating habits for both children and parents. Questions were organized along specific contents, which could be informative topics, picture choices and multiple answers choices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of inactivity was 21% and exhibited significant variations between cities. Physical activity was significantly associated to socio-economic status and consumption of fruits and vegetables. No association could be revealed with children's BMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health-promotion interventions aimed at improving healthy lifestyles in Indian children should focus on population strata with low socio-economic status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology (ENT), Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi, 110002, India, achalgulati@rediffmail.com.
authors.forename: Achal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gulati
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hochdorn
authors.forename: Haralappa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Paramesh
authors.forename: Elizabeth Cherian
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Paramesh
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chiffi
authors.forename: Malathi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gregori
authors.forename: Ileana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baldi
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires