Fed: Poor Aussie children more likely to be fat: new study

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2006
Fed: Poor Aussie children more likely to be fat: new study

More than one in five grade six students are fat .. with poor children most at risk
.. according to a major new Australian study.

Researchers tested almost 200 children at 22 private and public primary schools across Adelaide.

They measured their body shape including weight .. waist measurement and skin-fold
tests .. checked their physical activity and television viewing hours .. and reviewed
their diet over three 24-hour periods.

About 21 per cent of the boys were overweight and two per cent obese .. while 16 per
cent of the girls were overweight and four per cent were obese.

Almost half of the boys and more than 60 per cent of the girls exercised less than
the recommended one hour a day .. and about 40 per cent of both genders watched more than
two hours television a day.







The researchers also found the children's socioeconomic status .. measured by their
postcode and their parents' level of education .. was related to their body shape.

The study found poorer boys were more likely to have a high-fat diet and a large waist
measurement.

But the researchers weren't able to work out if diet .. exercise or more television
watching was responsible for the higher levels of obesity among poorer girls .. and suggested
genetics may be a factor.

Poorer Australian adults are already known to be at higher risk of obesity .. as well
as cancers .. respiratory and cardiovascular diseases .. mental illness and diabetes.

AAP RTV jb/sb/crh/rt

KEYWORD: OBESITY (CANBERRA)

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