Overweight and risk of overweight in schoolchildren in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: prevalence and characteristics.

The association of overweight and risk of overweight with socio-economic and demographic variables was investigated among schoolchildren in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil between 1995 and 1996. Data were obtained by direct interview and physical examination of boys and girls aged between 6 and 11 years in a two-stage, random sample, population-based survey. Univariate analysis was performed on the association between socio-economic and demographic predictors of overweight/risk of overweight and the dependent variables, i.e. body mass index (BMI), triceps skinfold and subscapular skinfold. Based on this analysis, logistic regression models were developed. The prevalence of overweight and risk of overweight was 37.8% in girls and 36.4% in boys. For the BMI model, the variables retained were age and number of persons per household; for the triceps skinfold model, the variables were age, gender and area of residence; and age, gender and persons/household were the variables for the subscapular skinfold model. The results suggest that both BMI and skinfold indicators should be used to assess overweight/risk of overweight and that public health programmes for schoolchildren should be developed to combat the alarming increase in obesity.