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Childhood Obesity in Serbia on the Rise

Lidija Marković1, Višnja Đorđić1, Nebojša Trajković2

  • 1Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Novi Sad, 21101 Novi Sad, Serbia.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 2, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Childhood obesity is rising in Serbia. Between 2015 and 2019, overweight and obesity rates increased significantly in primary school children, highlighting the need for public health action.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a significant global public health concern.
  • Monitoring nutritional status in children is crucial for early intervention.
  • The WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) provides valuable data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze trends in overweight and obesity prevalence among Serbian primary school children.
  • To compare data from the 2015 and 2019 COSI-Serbia rounds.
  • To assess the impact of overweight and obesity on child health in Serbia.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study design utilizing nationally representative samples.
  • Data collected during 2015 and 2019 COSI-Serbia rounds.
  • Standardized measurement of height and weight, calculation of Body Mass Index (BMI), and classification using WHO and International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria for children aged 7-9 years.

Main Results:

  • A statistically significant increase in the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity was observed between 2015 and 2019.
  • Using WHO definitions, the prevalence rose from 30.7% to 34.8% (p < 0.05).
  • Using IOTF standards, the prevalence increased from 22.8% to 30% (p = 0.00).

Conclusions:

  • The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity is increasing in Serbia.
  • Continuous monitoring and surveillance of children's nutritional status are essential public health priorities.
  • These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address childhood obesity in Serbia.

Keywords:
IOTF definitionsSerbiaWHO definitionschildhood obesityoverweight

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