Abstract: Family history is widely regarded as a determinant of childhood obesity, but its association with routinely available biochemical markers in a general school population is rarely tested. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 950 school-going children aged 10–18 years; 915 (838 girls, 77 boys) were retained after excluding 35 records with biologically implausible weight-for-height combinations. Height, weight, BMI, random blood sugar (RBS) and haemoglobin (Hb) were recorded, and BMI-for-age z-scores computed against the WHO 2007 reference. Independent t-tests, chi-square tests, Pearson correlation and multiple regression were used (α=0.05). Overall, 30.4% of children had a family history of overweight/obesity. WHO BMI-for-age categories showed a double-burden pattern (Normal 68.5%, Thinness 14.5%, severe thinness 9.1%, Overweight 5.4%, Obese 2.5%). Family history was not significantly associated with overweight/obesity prevalence, BMI-for-age z-score, or Hb (all p>0.39), but showed a consistent, borderline association with higher RBS (99.6 vs 97.4 mg/dL; adjusted β=2.17, p=0.094). BMI-for-age z-score correlated significantly with RBS (r=0.109, p=0.001) but not Hb; sex was the strongest independent predictor of both. Family history does not significantly predict anthropometric or haemoglobin status but is associated with a near-significant glycaemic signal meriting confirmation in a larger sample.

Keywords:Family history of obesity; BMI-for-age z-score; random blood sugar; haemoglobin; anthropometric status; school-going children.