Overweight and obesity trends in Mexican children 2 to 18 years of age from 1988 to 2006.
OBJECTIVE
To describe prevalences and trends of overweight and obesity/OW&OB in Mexican children from 1988 to 2006 at the national level and by relevant subpopulations.


METHODS
Prevalences of OW&OB in children aged 2-18 years were estimated using body mass index data from three national surveys conducted in 1988, 1999 and 2006.


RESULTS
Prevalences of OW&OB are high in children of all ages, particularly among school-age and adolescent groups disaggregated by regions, socioeconomic status, urban and rural areas, and ethnic groups. The overall prevalence of OW&OB in children 2 to 18 years old in 2006 was 26.3%. Prevalences by age groups were 16.7% in preschool-age, 26.2% in school-age, and 30.9% in adolescents, using the IOTF classification system.


CONCLUSIONS
Upward trends were observed in school-age children and adolescents at the national level and in all subpopulations.
Bonvecchio
Anabelle
A
Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
Safdie
Margarita
M
Monterrubio
Eric A
EA
Gust
Tiffany
T
Villalpando
Salvador
S
Rivera
Juan A
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013997:Time Factors