Associations between socioeconomic status and overweight among urban children aged 7-12 years in Chengdu, southwest China.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Income inequality in China has risen steadily over the past decades. This study explored the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and overweight among urban children aged 7-12 years in Chengdu, a comparatively prosperous metropolis city located in "the West China", the backward, less developed region of China.

METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013 among urban children aged 7-12 years old in Chengdu city. A total of 853 urban students were involved in this analysis, with measured heights, weights, and filled in self-administered questionnaires. Overweight, including obesity, was defined according to the Working Group on Obesity in China. SES indicators included family income, parental education and occupation class.

RESULTS: Urban girls living in high-income households were more likely to be overweight than those living in low-income households (OR 2.19, 95% confidence interval, 1.02-4.83). However, no significant associations were found among boys and there were also null significant associations between other SES indicators and overweight in children of either sex.

CONCLUSIONS: Urban girls living in relatively affluent circumstances were at greatest risk for being overweight. This study implies that any future overweight prevention program in Chengdu city is needed to start at the family level beginning with individuals of a high socioeconomic background, especially in urban girls.