Family and school determinants of overweight in 13-year-old Portuguese adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To identify familial and school determinants of overweight in 13-year-old adolescents.


METHODS
All 27 public and 19 (79%) private schools allowed to contact age eligible students, 77.5% accepting to participate (1116 girls, 1045 boys). Self-administered questionnaires were completed and physical examination performed, including weight and height measurements. Overweight (> 95th percentile) and at risk of overweight (85th-95th) were defined using CDC standards. Its determinants were identified using logistic regression models, entering parents' education and all variables significantly associated in crude analysis.


RESULTS
Prevalence of overweight (10.2%) and at risk of overweight (16.5%) was not influenced by type of school, vending machines and number of school canteen meals. In girls, the prevalence of body mass index (BMI) > 85th percentile increased significantly with decreasing age at menarche (45.7% if menstruating before 11-year and 13.2% when pre-menarche), and increasing parental BMI or time spent on sedentary activities. In multivariate analysis, age at menarche and increasing parental BMI remained significant risks in girls. In boys, besides parental BMI, ever smoking, sleeping < 9 h and sedentary leisure activities were significant determinants.


CONCLUSIONS
Food offered at school had no significant impact on adolescents overweight, which was mainly dependent on parental anthropometrics and leisure time activities.
Ramos
Elisabete
E
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal. eliramos@med.up.pt
Barros
Henrique
H
D000293:Adolescent; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005509:Food Dispensers, Automatic; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology*; D011174:Portugal; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires