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Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish school children, using four different definitions

J L O'Neill1, S N McCarthy, S J Burke

  • 1School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, College of Life Sciences, University College Dublin, Republic of Ireland.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|December 21, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Overweight and obesity are prevalent in Irish children, with rates varying by assessment method. Obesity has significantly increased in children aged 8-12 years between 1990 and 2005.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Public Health
  • Nutritional Epidemiology
  • Childhood Obesity Research

Background:

  • Childhood overweight and obesity represent a significant global public health concern.
  • Accurate prevalence data is crucial for effective public health interventions.
  • Previous national data in Ireland requires updated assessment using standardized methodologies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish children.
  • To compare prevalence estimates using four distinct weight-for-height assessment methods.
  • To examine secular trends in childhood obesity from 1990 to 2005.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Republic of Ireland between 2003 and 2004.
  • Weight and height were measured in a random sample of 596 children aged 5-12 years.
  • Prevalence was calculated using four methods: actual relative weight, CDC BMI-for-age charts, UK 1990 BMI curves, and IOTF cutoffs.

Main Results:

  • Prevalence estimates for overweight and obesity varied significantly across the four methods.
  • Obesity prevalence ranged from 4.1% to 11.2% in boys and 9.3% to 16.3% in girls.
  • A two-to-fourfold increase in obesity was observed in children aged 8-12 years between 1990 and 2005.

Conclusions:

  • There is a clear need for a standardized definition of childhood obesity in Ireland due to methodological variations.
  • The study confirms a high prevalence of overweight and obesity among Irish school children.
  • The substantial increase in obesity prevalence over 15 years underscores a critical and growing public health issue.
Abstract

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