58 Section GROWTH and DEVELOPMENT PREVALENCE OF UNDERWEIGHT, OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY AMONG PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN ANKARA, TURKEY AND ASSOCIATED SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS Цzer Başak Koca1 Neriman Aral3 1 Turkey 2 , Цzdemir Ayşegьl1 , Sibel Цnal1 , Ece Цzdoğan2 , Mьdriye Yıldız Bıзakзı3 , Ankara University, Faculty of Languages, History and Geography, Department of Anthropology, Ankara, Ankara University, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Ankara, Turkey 3Ankara University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Child Development, Ankara, Turkey The aim of the present study is to assess the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity among preschool children and to analyse factors contributing to this phenomenon. <...> The study group consisted of 270 children (135 boys and 135 girls) aged 3–5 years, whose parents gave consent to include them in the study. <...> Weight, height were recorded according to the standard protocols and, underweight, overweight and obesity were classifi ed using BMI according to WHO criteria. <...> Socio-economic status (SES) was determined using education level and occupation of parents. <...> Developmental multiple domains, motor, concept, linguistics developmental levels were measured and a standard of development index were also taken into account. <...> Younger children’s development level was assessed with Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning™, Fourth Edition (DIAL™-4). <...> It was developed by Mardell and Goldenberg (1998) and adapted by Aral et. al. (2014) to Turkish culture and was utilized as data collection tools. <...> Data indicated that younger children (3 and 4 years old) had sexual dimorphism, girls had signifi cantly lower mean weight-for-age (p<0.01) and heightfor-age (p<0.01). <...> Tendency of being overweight and obese was prominent in boys, prevalence gradually increased with age, where stunted girls were evident at younger ages. <...> Development index, SES, weight and height factors were highly associated (p<0.01), and ANOVA results revealed better anthropometric status with better family background. <...> It is suggested that the growth level of these more advantaged peers may have a positive <...>