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Prevalence of overweight/obesity and its association with sedentary behavior in children

Catarina Vasques1, Maria Mota, Teresa Correia

  • 1Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Department of Sports Science, Bragança, Portugal. catarinav@ipb.pt

Revista Portuguesa De Cardiologia : Orgao Oficial Da Sociedade Portuguesa De Cardiologia = Portuguese Journal of Cardiology : an Official Journal of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology
|November 17, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Childhood obesity is a concern in Portugal. Limiting screen time to under 1.5 hours daily significantly reduces overweight risk in boys, highlighting the importance of reduced sedentary behavior.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Childhood overweight and obesity represent a significant public health challenge globally.
  • Sedentary behaviors, including screen time, are increasingly prevalent among children.
  • Understanding regional variations and contributing factors is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children aged 6-13 years in Northeast Portugal.
  • To investigate the association between sedentary behavior, specifically screen time, and the risk of overweight/obesity in this population.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 1786 children (907 boys, 879 girls) aged 6-13 years.
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated from measured height and weight, using International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria.
  • Sedentary behavior assessed via transport to school and time spent on television and video games (TVPC).

Main Results:

  • The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity was 32% (overweight 22.6%, obesity 9.4%).
  • Boys spent more time on TVPC than girls on both weekdays and weekends.
  • Reduced weekday TVPC (less than 1.5 hours) was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of being overweight in boys (OR=0.246).

Conclusions:

  • A substantial proportion of children in Northeast Portugal are overweight or obese.
  • A significant association exists between reduced sedentary screen time and lower overweight risk in boys.
  • Public health strategies should focus on reducing screen time to mitigate childhood obesity.
Abstract

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