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Overweight and Obesity in Mexican Scholar Children
Author(s) -
ShamahLevy Teresa,
Méndez Humaran Ignacio,
Cuevas Nasu Lucia,
Morales Ruan María del Carmen,
MundoRosas Verónica
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.342.2
Subject(s) - overweight , obesity , body mass index , medicine , environmental health , public health , demography , psychological intervention , gerontology , limiting , mechanical engineering , nursing , pathology , psychiatry , sociology , engineering
Objective The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of overweight and obesity (OW +O) and to assess its association with some risk factor in a probabilistic sample of Mexican scholars. Methods Information from 34,045 children (>6 y) extracted from the Mexican National Health in Publics Schools Survey in Mexico (ENSE‐2008) was included in the analysis. We examined body mass index (BMI) in relation to demographic variables, sweet beverages consumption, and physical activity. Results Our results revealed that 1 of every 3 Mexican school children had OW+O (32.3%).The prevalence of overweight and obesity was adjusted by sex, age, region of dwelling (North, Center, South and Mexico City), and consumption of sweet beverages. The prevalence of OW +O was associated with aged children (>10y OR 1.15, p< 0.001); Sex (boys: OR 1.2 p=0.025; consumption of sweet beverages (1.1, p=0.008). Conclusions Overweight and obesity is becoming a public health problem in Mexico. It should be approached through aggressive interventions targeted to school age children at risk, in order to reduce rapidly the prevalence of overweight and obesity, thus limiting its negative short‐ and long‐term effects on other health outcomes. Supported by the Rio Aronte Foundation, and Fondo de Apoyo al Programa Intersectorial de Educación Saludable.