Prevalence of overweight and obesity in 2- to 6-year-old Italian children.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 2- to 6-year-old Italian children and to compare the prevalence between the north and the south of the country.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study of 2150 subjects (M/F: 1137/1013), 5.36 +/- 0.83 years of age. The sampling areas were Verona (north Italy) and Messina (south Italy). We used definitions of overweight and obesity using BMI values, with cut-off values proposed by the International Obesity Task Force.


RESULTS
The prevalence of overweight was 16.6% (males: 13.9%, females: 19.6%), and it was higher in the south (males: 17.8%, females: 22.4%) than in the north (males: 11.3%, females: 17.9%). The prevalence of obesity was 8.0% (males: 8.3%, females: 7.7%), and it was higher in the south (males: 12.3%, females: 10.7%) than in the north (males: 5.7%, females: 5.8%). Using the Centers for Disease Control reference charts, the prevalence of overweight and obesity of Italian children was close to that reported in children living in the United States (32% vs. 32.7%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of overweight and obesity in young Italian children is very high, and it is rapidly growing. In the south of the country, the prevalence is higher than in the north.
Maffeis
Claudio
C
Department of Mother and Child, Biology-Genetics, Pediatrics Section, University of Verona, Piazza LA Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy. claudio.maffeis@univr.it
Consolaro
Alessandro
A
Cavarzere
Paolo
P
Chini
Lorenza
L
Banzato
Claudia
C
Grezzani
Alessandra
A
Silvagni
Davide
D
Salzano
Giuseppina
G
De Luca
Filippo
F
Tatò
Luciano
L
D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors