[Prevalence of obesity in 14-year-olds in four primary care centers. Trends in weight changes since the age of two years old].
BACKGROUND
Childhood obesity is an increasingly common diagnosis in western society and is related to certain changes in lifestyle. Because of its persistence in adulthood and its relationship with several pathological entities such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, it has become one of the most important problems in children's health. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of obesity and overweight in 14-year-old adolescents attending the pediatric outpatient clinics of a primary care center in 2003, and their weight changes from the age of two years old.


METHODS
A long-term study of 277 children born in 1989 was performed. Their body mass index (BMI) was calculated at the age of 2,3,4,6,8,11 and 14 years. Obesity was defined as a BMI > P95 and overweight as a BMI > P85 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) growth charts 2000.


RESULTS
The prevalence of obesity in 14 year-olds was 13.2% (15.2% in boys and 11.5% in girls). The prevalence of overweight was 17.4% (18.7% in boys and 16.2% in girls). Gender differences were not significant in any of the age groups studied.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of obesity and overweight in 14 year-old adolescents in our centers is considerable and is similar to that reported in other Spanish regions. The pediatric outpatient clinics of primary care centers should play an active role in the control and prevention of obesity.
Albañil Ballesteros
Mr
M
Centro de Salud Cuzco, Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Spain. mralba100@hotmail.com
Sánchez Martín
M
M
de la Torre Verdú
M
M
Olivas Domínguez
A
A
Sánchez Méndez
My
M
Sanz Cuesta
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology