title: [Usefulness of the 5-6-yrs-old anthropometric health report for the evaluation of childhood overweight and obesity: pilot study in Lombardia (Italy)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify the possibility to use the Anthropometric Health Report (AHR), containing the BMI value, for overweight/obesity evaluation in 5-6-years-old children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2001 and December 2004, 4619 AHR had been examined. BMI values were compared with age and sex-specific BMI cutoffs, according to Cole, as well as with a single BMI value, calculated as the mean between boys and girls cutoff at 5.5 yrs of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  4619 children of ASL Provincia di Milano 2, aged 5-6 years were examined. PARTECIPANTS: 81 Family Pediatricians working in the area of Provincia di Milano 2.
  
  
  METHODS
  An easily available and low cost method for epidemiological studies on overweight and obesity in childhood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period the number of examined children increased constantly (from 8% to 30% of the overall resident population). Also the correct compilation of the AHR raised (from 47% to 95%). The elevated percentage of overweight children (range 17-23%) and obese children (range 5-7%) in the study group confirms other published data in this age group. The use of a single BMI cutoff did not affect significantly (p > 0.05) the results with regard to the use ofage and sex-specific cut offs. Required time for carrying out the study was limited. Efficiency increased during the study: the number ofAHRs analyzed per hour increased from 37.5 in 2001 to 103.5 in 2004. Some critical points about current uses of AHR are discussed
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AHR could be used for epidemiological purposes. It could be considered an useful method in monitoring overweight/obesity in 5-6 years old children as well as in checking the efficacy of prevention and therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Pediatra di libera scelta, Federazione italiana medici pediatri, Dipartimento di formazione permanente, Lombardia. paolo.brambilla3@tin.it
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brambilla
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pattarino
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vezzoni
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giussani
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Picca
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Acerbi
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Invernizzi
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guazzarotti
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marinello
authors.forename: Berardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: di Natale
authors.forename: Gian Vincenzo
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Zuccotti
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D050177:Overweight; D010865:Pilot Projects