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Tracking the Prevalence of Obesity in Portuguese School-Aged Children: What Future to Expect?

Nelson Valente1,2,3, Pedro Forte2,4,5,6,7, José E Teixeira4,5,8,9

  • 1Biosciences Higher School of Elvas, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, 7300-110 Portalegre, Portugal.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 29, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Childhood obesity affects 37% of Portuguese children, with higher rates in boys. This study highlights significant differences in Body Mass Index (BMI) and body fat, underscoring the need for interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Childhood Obesity Research

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a global health issue impacting cardiovascular health and metabolic syndrome.
  • Portugal faces a high prevalence, with 31.6% of children affected, necessitating urgent interventions.
  • This research addresses the critical need to understand overweight and obesity patterns in Portuguese school children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Portuguese school-aged children.
  • To analyze sex and age-specific differences in childhood obesity indicators.
  • To evaluate the impact of obesity on body composition and anthropometric parameters.

Main Methods:

  • Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, skinfold thickness) were collected from 1564 children (ages 6-10).
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) and body fat percentage were calculated using standardized methodologies.
  • Statistical analysis was performed to identify significant differences in BMI and body fat across categories and sexes.

Main Results:

  • Overall, 37% of the studied children were overweight or obese.
  • Boys exhibited a higher prevalence (40.1%) compared to girls (33.9%).
  • Significant differences (p≤0.001) in BMI and body fat percentage were observed across BMI categories and between sexes.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood obesity significantly impacts body composition and anthropometric parameters in Portuguese children.
  • A substantial proportion of school-aged children are overweight or obese, with boys being more affected.
  • Findings emphasize the critical importance of implementing preventative and intervention strategies to combat childhood obesity.
Abstract

Keywords:
body compositioncardiovascular healthchildhood

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