(1) Background: To compare the prevalence of overweight and obesity in boys and girls and to estimate socioeconomic differences associated with obesity in Spain in 1997, 2007, and 2017. (2) Methods: Data were drawn from national health interview surveys. For each year of study, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was measured, and these results were compared by gender (boy/girl) and socioeconomic status (low/high education). (3) Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity rose from 1997 to 2007 but then fell in 2017 in all subgroups except in girls aged 10 to 15 years. In this group, there was a steady increase in the prevalence of both overweight (1997, 14.6%; 2007, 17.7%; 2017, 19.6%) and obesity (1.1, 3.2, and 3.7%, respectively). The decrease in prevalence of overweight in both sexes and of obesity in boys, along with the increase in prevalence of obesity in girls, was of a higher magnitude in children whose parents had a lower educational level. (4) Conclusions: The apparent turnaround in the obesity epidemic in Spain should be interpreted with caution. Children's body weight is influenced by both gender and socioeconomic status-considerations that should be kept in mind when designing health promotion interventions.
(1) Background: To compare the prevalence of overweight and obesity in boys and girls and to estimate socioeconomic differences associated with obesity in Spain in 1997, 2007, and 2017. (2) Methods: Data were drawn from national health interview surveys. For each year of study, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was measured, and these results were compared by gender (boy/girl) and socioeconomic status (low/high education). (3) Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity rose from 1997 to 2007 but then fell in 2017 in all subgroups except in girls aged 10 to 15 years. In this group, there was a steady increase in the prevalence of both overweight (1997, 14.6%; 2007, 17.7%; 2017, 19.6%) and obesity (1.1, 3.2, and 3.7%, respectively). The decrease in prevalence of overweight in both sexes and of obesity in boys, along with the increase in prevalence of obesity in girls, was of a higher magnitude in children whose parents had a lower educational level. (4) Conclusions: The apparent turnaround in the obesity epidemic in Spain should be interpreted with caution. Children's body weight is influenced by both gender and socioeconomic status-considerations that should be kept in mind when designing health promotion interventions.
Authors: Zdeněk Hamřík; Dagmar Sigmundová; Jan Pavelka; Michal Kalman; Erik Sigmund Journal: Cent Eur J Public Health Date: 2017-07 Impact factor: 1.163
Authors: C Cadenas-Sanchez; C Nyström; G Sanchez-Delgado; B Martinez-Tellez; J Mora-Gonzalez; A S Risinger; J R Ruiz; F B Ortega; M Löf Journal: Pediatr Obes Date: 2015-11-09 Impact factor: 4.000
Authors: Cécile Knai; Tim Lobstein; Nicole Darmon; Harry Rutter; Martin McKee Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2012-04-16 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Julie Latomme; Vicky Van Stappen; Greet Cardon; Philip J Morgan; Mina Lateva; Nevena Chakarova; Jemina Kivelä; Jaana Lindström; Odysseas Androutsos; Esther M González-Gil; Pilar De Miguel-Etayo; Anna Nánási; László R Kolozsvári; Yannis Manios; Marieke De Craemer Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2018-11-21 Impact factor: 3.390