Overweight Status in Indian Children: Prevalence and Psychosocial Correlates

Objective: To examine the association between overweight status and psycho-social risk factors in Indian children. Methods: Data from India's nationally-representative Global School-based Student Health Survey were analyzed using SPSS for all participating students (n=8130, 58% males). Results: The likelihood of being overweight was significantly higher for children with fewer friends (OR=1.16, 95%CI=1.13-1.18) or friends who were not kind or helpful, children with symptoms of depression (OR=1.20, 95%CI=1.03-1.39) and anxiety (OR=1.09, 95%CI=1.07-1.15), children with little parental involvement (OR=1.06, 95%CI=1.02-1.10), and children who felt lonely or missed school days without permission. Conclusions: Psychosocial distress in overweight Indian children warrants comprehensive interventions for screening and treatment of pediatric obesity.