title: Prevalence of obesity in 6- and 9-year-old children living in Central-North Italy. Analysis of determinants and indicators of risk of overweight.
abstract: The objective of our article is to survey the prevalence of overweight and obesity among 6- and 9-year-old children in Emilia-Romagna, a region of Central-North Italy, and to study the eating habits and behaviours of these children and their families. During 2003 and 2005, we analysed a stratified sample of the general population of children attending pre-school (2681 children aged 6 years) and primary school (2955 children aged 9 years). Their height and weight were measured by healthcare workers. In the 6-year-old children, information concerning their eating habits was collected by means of a questionnaire completed by their parents. The prevalence of overweight was 16.5% in 6-year-old children and 20.6% in 9-year-old children. The increase of overweight from 6- to 9-year-old children was observed in males (13.5% in 6-year-old/21.3% in 9-year-old boys), but not in females. The prevalence of obesity was 8.9% in children aged 6 years and 9.0% in those aged 9 years, and it was higher in comparison with Italian surveys carried out in 1993 and in 2001: 7.5% in 6-year-old and 7.8% in 9-year-old children in 1993, and 6.6% in 6-year-old and 7.2% in 9-year-old children in 2001. In pre-school children, overweight and obesity were closely influenced by the education level, occupation and nutritional status of the parents.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Food Health Services, Nutritional team, Region of Emilia-Romagna, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albertini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tripodi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fabbri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mattioli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cavrini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cecchetti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dalle Donne
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cortesi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Giorgi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Contarini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andreotti
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stefanelli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Martino
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D053198:Child Nutrition Sciences / Q000193:education*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires