Relationship between Behavioral Emotional Symptoms and BMI in Girls of Elementary Schools in Tabriz City, based on Parent's Report.

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children has dramatically increased in many developing countries. Obesity increases risk of psychological diseases and is associated with numerous health problems. Behavioral emotional problems are one of the most painful aspects of obesity. Obesity affected on various aspects of children's life, including academic achievement, social skills, and social competency. The main purpose of this study is to investigate of the relationship between obesity /overweight, behavioral –emotional problems and competency in girls of elementary schools in Tabriz city based on parents report. Method: This research is a comparison descriptive study. The study samples consist of 300 students (7-11 years old) of girls elementary schools in Tabriz city, selected based on BMI by random classify. Data collected by child behavior checklist. The CBCL designed for assessing of behavioral –emotional problems and competency in children, which are scored on a 3-point scale ranging. Data analyzed by software SPSS11.5. Result: The results indicated a significant correlation between obesity and overweight and withdrawn, somatic complaints, anxiety and depression, social problems, attention problems, internalizing behavior problems and total behavior problems (p<0.01) but the correlation between obesity/overweight and through problems, delinquent behaviors, aggressive behaviors and externalizing behavior problems was not significant. Obesity/overweight had a significant and inverse correlation with school competency and total competency (p<0.05) but had not a significant correlation with activity and social competency. The obese and overweight groups had a more behavioral –emotional problems and lower level of competency than normal weight group. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that high BMI had a significant correlation with increasing the behavioral –emotional problems and decreasing the level of competency in children. Prevention of obesity as a first step for prevention of behavioral –emotional and competency problems, seems to be essential and treatment of obesity may be a matter of dealing with this problems. Girls who become overweight during the early school years and those who start school being overweight need to be monitored carefully.