A national study of the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 6-12 y-old Swiss children: body mass index, body-weight perceptions and goals.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Swiss children and to obtain information on weight perceptions and weight control practices in this population.


METHODS
Cross-sectional, three-stage, probability-proportionate-to-size cluster sampling.


METHODS
Middle schools throughout Switzerland.


METHODS
A representative national sample of 595 6-12 y-old schoolchildren.


METHODS
Measurement of weight and height; interview on weight perceptions and weight control practices.


RESULTS
Body mass index (BMI) was calculated and used as an indicator of overweight. The BMIs of the Swiss children were compared with US, UK, French and Swiss reference data. Depending on which reference data were used, the prevalence of obesity varied between 9.7 and 16.1% and the prevalence of overweight varied between 21.7 and 34.2%. Girls were significantly more likely to consider themselves too fat (26% and 15%, respectively) and to report currently trying to lose weight (30% and 18%, respectively) compared to boys (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of overweight in Swiss children, and its attendant health and social consequences, are important public health concerns.


BACKGROUND
The Swiss Foundation for Nutrition Research, Zürich, Switzerland.
Zimmermann
M B
MB
The Human Nutrition Laboratory, Institute for Food Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland. michael.zimmermann@ilw.agrl.ethz.ch
Hess
S Y
SY
Hurrell
R F
RF
D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology