title: Influence of behavioral determinants on deviation of body mass index among 12-15 years old school children of Panchkula.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the body mass index (BMI) and factors related to BMI in 12-15 years old adolescents attending school in the Panchkula district of Haryana, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our multistage sampling method enrolled 810 adolescents. Demographic data and dietary history data over 5 days were recorded. Height and weight were measured to calculate BMI, which was further categorized according to the World Health Organization classification system. Diet was analysed using the Nizel criteria and socioeconomic status (SES) was assessed using Prasad's socioeconomic classification. The chi-squared test and analysis of variance test were performed, and a multinomial regression analysis was performed to find significant correlates with BMI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalences of underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity were 13.6, 58.4, 22.7, and 5.3%, respectively. The prevalence of both overweight and obesity was higher among males than that among females. The overall food group, nutrient, sweet, and oral health diet scores were higher among overweight and obese adolescents. Adolescents attending public school were 2.62 times more likely than private school adolescents were to be underweight. Private school adolescents were 2.08 times more likely than public school adolescents were to be overweight. Those with a high SES, vegetarians, and those aged 15 years were highly likely to be obese.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found 41.6% of these adolescents to have a BMI that deviated from the norm. Important factors related with BMI were age, gender, socioeconomic score, mean daily diet score, and the type of school.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Swami Devi Dyal Dental College, Panchkula, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Amandeep
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chopra
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Swami Devi Dyal Dental College, Panchkula, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Nanak Chand
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Swami Devi Dyal Dental College, Panchkula, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Nidhi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Swami Devi Dyal Dental College, Panchkula, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Shelja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vashisth
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Swami Devi Dyal Dental College, Panchkula, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Manav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lakhanpal
keywords: Body mass index; Diet; Socioeconomic status