School environment, socioeconomic status and weight of children in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Background: The continued existence of undernutrition, associated with a steady increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents, necessitates identification of factors contributing to this double burden of disease, in order for effective treatment and prevention programmes to be planned.

Aim: To determine the nutritional status of 13-15-year-old children in Bloemfontein and its association with socioeconomic factors.

Setting: Bloemfontein, Free State Province, South Africa (2006).