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Trends in childhood and adolescent obesity prevalence in Oviedo (Asturias, Spain) 1992–2006
Author(s) -
Martín Juan José Díaz,
Hernández Laura Somalo,
Gonzalez Mónica García,
Mendez Carmen Perillán,
Rey Galán Corsino,
Guerrero Serafín Málaga
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2008.00828.x
Subject(s) - overweight , medicine , obesity , body mass index , public health , cohort , demography , childhood obesity , pediatrics , cohort study , gerontology , pathology , sociology
Aim: To analyse obesity and overweight prevalence trend in Oviedo (Spain) during the last 14 years. Patients and Methods: Two cross‐sectional studies were conducted in the same five public schools of the urban area of Oviedo in 1992 and 2004–06. One thousand one hundred sixty‐five children and young adults between the age of 6 and 17 years were studied in 1992 and 1312 in 2004–06. Obesity and overweight were defined according to the International Obesity Task Force cut‐off values. Results: Body mass index (BMI) values (20.5 ± 3.6 vs. 20.1 ± 3.3 p = 0.02) and obesity prevalence (6.3% vs. 4.5% p < 0.05) were significantly higher in the 2004–06 cohort, while overweight prevalence showed a non‐significant increase. Obesity prevalence increased in both sexes in the 6–11‐year group. In adolescent females, a four‐fold increase was observed, from 0.9% in 1992 (95% CI : −0.1 to 1.9) to 3.8% in 2004–06 (95% CI : 1.8–6). A slight non‐significant decrease was observed in adolescent males (6.6% in 1992 to 5.8% in 2004–06). Conclusion: Obesity and overweight are increasing in children and adolescents in Oviedo at a level similar to that observed in studies conducted in developed countries. This obesity epidemic is becoming an important public health issue.