Prevalence of overweight and obesity in schoolchildren: relationship with socioeconomic status, gender and age

Abstract

Overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence have reached alarming rates in Brazil. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence rates of overweight and obesity according to socioeconomic status, gender and age in schoolchildren from 11 towns around the Itaipu Lake, western Paraná. The sample consisted of 5,962 subjects (3,024 girls) aged 6 to 17 years. Overweight and obesity were identified based on body mass index, adopting the cut-off values for age and gender suggested by the International Obesity Task Force. The prevalence rates according to different strata (gender, age and socioeconomic status) were compared by means of logistic regression using odds ratios. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 14.8% and 5.8% among boys, respectively, and 15.2% and 4.5% among girls. The prevalence rates decreased with increasing age. Considering socioeconomic status, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was significantly higher in schoolchildren from high-income families. The prevalence rates indicate a trend similar to that observed for the highest prevalence reported in surveys conducted in other cities and regions of Brazil. The present results suggest the need for interventions of the public health system and of society, seeking alternatives to alleviate this problem and its consequences.