Overweight and obesity are widespread among rural to urban migrant children and teenagers in cities of central China, but have not been studied. Through physique measurement and questionnaire, here we explored the correlations of overweight and obesity with socioeconomic factors, living behaviors and habits among rural to urban migrant children in central China. A scheme of multistage stratified full-group sampling was used in the investigations. Three cities in central China, including Nanchang from Jiangxi Province, Wuhan from Hubei Province, and Changsha from Hunan Province were selected. Then 7- to 12-year-old rural to urban migrant children were randomly selected and involved for physique measurement and questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed on SPSS 22.0 at the significance level α=0.05. We found the result as follow: (1) The incidence rates of childhood obesity with father’s and mother’s profession being businessman are 2.25 and 1.79 times higher, respectively, compared with other professions. The rates of childhood obesity with father’s education level at high school and college/above are 0.66 and 0.54, respectively, compared with the level of elementary school/below. The rates of childhood obesity with mother’s education level at high school and college/above versus are 0.36 and 0.21, respectively, that at the level of elementary school/below. The rate of childhood obesity with family monthly income > 5000 Yuan is 1.96 times higher than that at the level < 2000 Yuan. (2) The rate of childhood obesity with daily exercise > 20000 paces is 0.34 that with the level of < 10000 paces. (3) The rates of overweight and obesity with ≥ 4 times/month of snacks are 1.62 and 2.06 times, respectively those at the level of < 4 times/month of snacks. The rates of overweight and obesity with sodas drinking ≥ 3 times/month are 2.12 and 3.26 fold higher, respectively, compared with the level of < 3 times/month. The overweight and obesity among rural to urban migrant children are largely associated with socioeconomic factors, living behaviors/habits, and eating habits. We find obesity and overweight are very widespread among children with parental occupation being businessman or civil servants, with parents’ education level at elementary school/below, and with high family monthly income. Overweight and obesity are also very frequent among children with little daily exercise or with excessive high-energy intake. © 2016, E-Century Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.

Socioeconomic factors Rural to urban migrant children Living behaviors and habits Overweight and obesity

education urban population China educational status lifestyle exercise human rural population controlled study habit school child male female Behavior socioeconomics questionnaire population research Incidence Article migration family income body mass childhood obesity Child