Female gender and wealth are associated to overweight among adolescents in La Paz, Bolivia.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the prevalence of overweight, obesity and being thin in adolescents of La Paz City, Bolivia.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study, clustered sampling.


METHODS
La Paz, Bolivia, August-September 2003.


METHODS
Height and weight of 525 adolescents (mean age 16 y; s.d.+/-1.3) attending public and private schools were measured; sociodemographic characteristics were assessed with a short questionnaire.


RESULTS
The present study reveals that 9.3% (+/-2.5) of the sample are thin adolescents; 19.8% (+/-3.4) is the overall prevalence of overweight and 2.3% (+/-1.3) the overall prevalence of obesity. The odds of being thin were higher among those working (P=0.03) and among those of higher age (P<0.001). The odds of being overweight were higher among female subjects (P<0.001). The odds of being obese were higher among younger adolescents (P=0.046) and among the more wealthy ones (P=0.044).


CONCLUSIONS
A large prevalence of 22% overweight/obesity in adolescents from La Paz City was observed. The findings support the need of enhanced nutritional surveillance and interventions particularly in female adolescents.
Nutrition and Child Health Unit, Department of Public Health, Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, Antwerpen, Belgium. aperezcueto@itg.be
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Pérez-Cueto
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Almanza
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Kolsteren
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001838:Bolivia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class