Physical activity as an important determinant in developing childhood obesity

The correlation between physical activity and sedentary life style was investigated as a determinant of the body mass index in children and adolescents in Banjaluka region. The study involved 1204 children and adolescents, 6-17 years old, 578 boys, 626 girls. BMI was calculated from their height and weight using standard formula. Each child, together with their parents answered the questions considering their level of involvement in physical versus sedentary activities. Physical activity was defined as involvement in sports activities, while sedentary life style was defined as time spent on computer, games,video, and TV. The prevalence of overweight and obesity were 12.2% and 6.1% in our study group. Increased physical activity showed strong positive correlation with normal, lower BMI in boys (p<0.05), and girls (p<0.001). Sedentary lifestyle, prolonged TV watching was strongly associated with increased BMI only in girls (p<0.05). However, computer use for 2 hours/day was strongly associated with increased BMI (p<0.05) only in boys, although computer use for more than 3 hours/day was associated with lower BMI in boys. Physical activity and sedentary lifestyle are significant determinants of BMI and risk factors in developing overweight and obesity in childhood, as shown in our study.