The Department of Endocrinology, 
Childhood Obesity and Essential Micronutrients: Insights from India’s Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (2016-18).
- Department of Community and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bathinda, Bathinda, Punjab, India. drmadhurverma@gmail.com.
- International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400088, India.
- Department of Endocrine, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632004, India.
- Non-Communicable Disease Unit, The Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
- Department of Preventive Oncology, MPMMCC, and HBCH, TMC, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bathinda, Bathinda, Punjab, 151001, India.
- Department of Community and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bathinda, Bathinda, Punjab, India.
- Department of Endocrinology, Bharti Hospital, Karnal, Haryana, India. brideknl@gmail.com.
- University Centre for Research and Development, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India. brideknl@gmail.com.
Diabetes therapy : research, treatment and education of diabetes and related disorders Vol. 14 · Issue 8 · pp. 1267-1283
PMID 37264296 DOI 10.1007/s13300-023-01424-2
Cite This Article
Madhur Verma, Aditi Aditi, Nitin Kapoor, Priyanka Sharma, Monica Kakkar, Rakesh Kakkar, Sanjay Kalra. Childhood Obesity and Essential Micronutrients: Insights from India’s Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (2016-18). Diabetes therapy : research, treatment and education of diabetes and related disorders. 2023;14(8):1267-1283. doi:10.1007/s13300-023-01424-2
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Based on the long-term impact of childhood obesity, there is a compelling need to assess the burden of obesity and micronutrient deficiency and the interactions between the two. Thus, the aims of the study were to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obese children and adolescents to compare micro-nutrient levels in these children with normal and underweight categories and explore the factors affecting overweight and obesity in the presence of micronutrient deficiencies.
METHODS: Secondary data analysis of the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey-India (2017-2018) was done. The survey recorded information from 112,245 preschool children (6-60 months), school age children (5-9 years), and adolescents (10-19 years). Half of these participants were invited for biochemical testing and were included in our analysis. The presence of overweight or obesity and micronutrient (serum erythrocyte folate; vitamin B12, A, and D; ferritin; zinc; and urinary iodine) deficiencies were the primary outcomes. The secondary outcome included the mean serum levels and predictors of overweight and obesity in the presence of micronutrient deficiencies.
RESULTS: Of the 38,060, 38,355, and 35,830 preschool, school-age, and adolescent study participants, about 2.69, 4.18, and 4.99% were overweight or obese. We observed significant variations in the mean folate and vitamin B12 levels among the overweight and obese preschool and school-age children compared to the normal weight group. School-age children exhibited significant differences in all micronutrient levels. In contrast, adolescents only showed substantial differences in vitamin D and A and serum ferritin levels. The predictors of overweight and obesity included geographical locations, wealth quintiles, and societal castes. Iron, folate, vitamin D, and zinc levels significantly affect the odds of developing childhood overweight and obesity.
CONCLUSIONS: It is vital to halt the growing burden of childhood overweight and obesity. Addressing micronutrient deficiencies can help us bring a sustainable and feasible approach to managing this menace.
Keywords
- CNNS-India
- Childhood obesity
- Micronutrition
- Social disparities
