title: Ten-year trends in obesity among Israeli schoolchildren: 1990-2000.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze trends in childhood body mass index (BMI) in Israel between 1990 and 2000, and to determine the proportion of obese children using US and population-specific reference values.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional data from 13 284 second- and fifth-grade schoolchildren were collected, including age, sex, height, weight, country of birth, and time since immigration. Age- and sex-specific BMI means and centiles were calculated, and the prevalence of obesity was determined using Israeli and US reference values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BMI values at the 95th centile increased monotonously over time in all age and sex categories. Between 1990 and 2000, 95th centile values increased by 12.7% and 11.8% among second-grade boys and girls, respectively. Among fifth-grade children, 95th centile values increased by 10.2% and 8.4%, respectively. Among second graders in 2000, 11.4% of both boys and girls exceeded the BMI value recorded at the 95th centile in 1990. Among fifth-graders in 2000, 10.7% of boys and 11.1% of girls exceeded the 1990 BMI reference value (p for all comparisons < 0.001). The proportion of obese children increased over time using both Israeli and US reference values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This substantial increase in childhood obesity poses a serious health threat, and requires implementation of suitable public health interventions.
authors.affiliation: Barzilai Medical Center, Ashkelon District Health Office, Israel. mhuerta@netvision.net.il
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huerta
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gdalevich
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haviv
authors.forename: Haim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bibi
authors.forename: Shimon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scharf
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution