ASSESSMENT OF BODY COMPOSITION OF 6 TO 9 YEAR- OLD PUPILS IN CENTRAL UGANDA

Title: ASSESSMENT OF BODY COMPOSITION OF 6 TO 9 YEAR- OLD PUPILS IN CENTRAL UGANDA

Author: Constance A. Nakayiza Nsibambi

E-mail: cnsibambi@gmail.com

Country: Uganda

ABSTRACT
The global increase in childhood overweight and obesity is a serious public health issue.However, little is known about the body composition status of children in Uganda. A preexperimental research design was conducted using 1929 pupils aged 6 to 9 years in central Uganda. The WHO (2007) CDC- BMI for sex- age growth charts percentiles were used to assess body composition. Data was analysed using means, standard deviation, frequencies, percentages and t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed significant differences in BMI between pupils in day and boarding schools with day scholars having lower mean and standard deviation scores (15.8 + 2.0) than boarders (18.1 + 2.7). There were also significant gender differences with boys having lower mean and standard deviation scores (16.2 + 2.1) than girls (17.9 + 2.9). The results also showed that of the 922 day scholars, 27(2.9%) were underweight, 808 (87.7%) had normal weight, 58 (6.3%) were overweight and 29 (3.1%) were obese. Of the 1007 pupils in boarding schools, 50 (5%) were underweight, 828 (82.2%) had normal weight, 79 (7.8%) were overweight and 50 (5%) were obese. The study recommended that opportunities be availed for children to be physically active during and outside school hours.