Body mass index of schoolchildren under exposure to endogenous and exogenous risk factors (on the example of the Republic of Bashkortostan)

High prevalence of obesity and overweight among population poses a serious threat for public health. A survey was accomplished in 13 schools in Bashkortostan to estimate the nutritional status as per body mass index (BMI) of schoolchildren and their parents. Next, we analyzed relationships between participants’ nutritional statuses as per BMI and their age, sex, place of residence (urban / rural) and parental nutritional status as per BMI for children. Among children, 50.0 % had normal body weight, 18.4 % had overweight, 16.9 % had underweight, 8.8 % were emaciated, and 5.9 % were obese. Among parents, these shares equaled 46.4, 33.1, 2.5, 1.3, and 16.7 % respectively. The profound analysis established that boys (as compared with girls) were overweighed and had BMI higher than its healthy range in general (overweight + obesity) statistically significantly more frequently; prevalence of obesity and also BMI higher than its healthy range in general was identified statistically significantly higher among fathers as opposed to mothers. In addition, it turned out that if parents either had BMI higher than its healthy range or were emaciated, their children had similar disorders statistically significantly more frequently. At the same time, if parents had normal body weight, their children were overweighed statistically significantly less frequently. The age of 15-17 years turned out to be associated with declining prevalence of obesity in boys (young males) and declining prevalence of elevated BMI in general in girls (young females). At the same time, a share of people with overweight and elevated BMI in general was statistically significantly higher among mothers older than 37 years. When considering places of residence, we established that both girls and mothers who lived in rural areas had BMI higher than its healthy range statistically significantly more frequently than their urban counterparts.