Evaluation of the association between obesity and short stature among children living in Yozgat city

Aim: To evaluate the frequency and the correlation of short stature and obesity and among children aged between 2-16 ages in Yozgat city. Material and Methods: Children admitted to University Hospital were evaluated. The height and weight of the children were analysed by health personel. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated with the formula; body weight (kg)/ Body height (m2). The correlation between short stature and obesity was statistically analysed by SPSS12.0. Results: There were 763 children 386 (50.5%) boys and 377 (49.5%) girls. The mean body weight and height was 23.05±11.75 kg (9.0-89.2 kg ) and 114.4±21.0 cm (74- 185 cm), respectively. A total of 53 (6.9%) children, 24 girls, 29 boys, were under 3rd percentile for height. Mean BMI was 16.3±2.6 (3.5-35.2). Short stature, overweight and obesity was seen in 6.9%, 11% and 7.1% children respectively. Among the children with short stature 9.4% were overweight and 7.5% were obese. There was no statistical signifant difference between children with or without short stature when compared for overweight and obesity (p>0.05). Discussion: Both being related to feeding problems, short stature and obesity still are serious health care problems in our country. The quality of feeding should be improved and the doctors’ attention should be drawn to this issue, so that a national contribution may be acquired.