Objective: To compare the external foot measurements & foot print of non-obese& obese children .Methods:15 male and 15 female school children, without other health problems, who could be classified as overweight or obese according to international standard BMI cut-off points and hip-waist ratio on the basis of age and sex, were selected as experimental subjects. An additional 15 male and 15 females non-overweight children, matched for age, height, and sex to the overweight/obese children, were selected as non-overweight controls. To characterize the external structure and arch height of each child’s feet, various foot dimensions , including foot length, normalized Instep length, Normalized Fibular Instep length, Normalized foot breadth, normalized navicular height truncated, and Staheli’s Plantar Arch Index, were directly measured for the right foot of each child.Results: The external foot measurements namely instep length, fibular instep length and foot breadth were normalized using foot length. Student’s T-test was used as Statistical test for data analysis and was compared with the age matched normal children. No significant difference was found between the groups. Conclusion: We concluded from this study that the external foot appearance of obese and non-obese children is similar and no significant difference is noted when compared using external foot measurements and footprints.

Keywords: Obesity, Plantar Arch, foot dimensions.