ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity currently represent one of the most important public health problems in industrialized countries and are also linked to cardiovascular disease and sleep apnea, as well as to orthopaedic and other complications. OBJECTIVES: To examine overweight and the risk of overweight in the school-aged population in Galicia in comparison with the nationally representative survey in the US population: the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES-1). METHODS: We performed a cross sectional study including a sample of 1105 boys and girls (50 % from a rural environment and 50 % from urban areas) in Galicia, northwest Spain. RESULTS: The 50th percentile for boys and girls in Galicia was higher than the corresponding percentile in the NHANES-1 for all the ages studied. In general, the 85th and 95th percentiles for children's body mass index in Galicia were higher in the group aged 6-14 years. CONCLUSIONS: In Galicia body mass index values in the 50th, 85th and 95th percentiles were higher in girls than in boys. For the 50th percentile, both boys and girls in Galicia had higher values than those of the NHANES-1 for all ages. In areas with risk of excess weight (85th percentile) and prevailing excess weight (95th percentile) the same was true in the 6 to 13-14 age group for both sexes.
Subject(s)
Obesity/epidemiology , Obesity/etiology , Adolescent , Body Mass Index , Catchment Area, Health , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Risk Factors , Spain/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Antecedentes. Actualmente, el sobrepeso y la obesidad representan uno de los problemas de salud pública más importantes en los países industrializados, relacionándose, a su vez, con enfermedades cardiovasculares, apnea del sueño y complicaciones ortopédicas, entre otras. Objetivos. Examinar el riesgo del sobrepeso y el sobrepeso en la población escolar de Galicia, comparándola con el estudio representativo de la población joven norteamericana del National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I (NHANES I). Métodos. Es un estudio transversal que incluye una muestra de 1.105 chicos y chicas proveniente el 50 por ciento del medio rural y el otro 50 por ciento del urbano de Galicia, noroeste de España. Resultados El percentil 50 (P50) de los chicos y chicas de Galicia se mostró superior a NHANES I en todas las edades estudiadas. En general, los percentiles P85 y P95 del índice de masa corporal (IMC) de los gallegos resultaron superiores entre los 6 y 14 años. Conclusiones: Las chicas de Galicia presentaron valores del IMC en los percentiles P50, P85 y P95 superiores a los de los chicos. En el P50, los chicos y chicas gallegas mostraron valores superiores comparados con NHANES I en todas las edades. En las zonas de riesgo de sobrepeso (P85) y de sobrepeso (P95) ocurrió lo mismo de 6 a 13-14 años en ambos sexos (AU)
