title: Plateau in obesity and overweight in a cross sectional study of low, middle and high socioeconomic status schoolchildren between 2004 and 2009.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine cross-sectional trends in obesity and overweight by gender, age and school socioeconomic status (SES) in 1,239 children aged 9-12 years from the same 10 primary schools in 2004 and 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self report questionnaire with measured height and weight. BMI and international (IOTF) standards were used to classify overweight and obesity. School SES was determined using a combined government measure of family income and parental education.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant change in obesity, overweight or mean BMI between 2004 and 2009. Obesity decreased slightly but not significantly at 7.0% in 2004 and 4.8% in 2009 (P = 0.42). The significant predictors of obesity were a low school SES (OR = 2.42, P = 0.007) and age ≤10 years (OR = 2.33, P = 0.002). Male gender was a marginally significant predictor (OR = 1.60, P = 0.08). School SES, age and gender were not predictors of overweight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obesity and overweight remain high, but the increase of earlier years has abated. Children from low SES schools and in younger age groups remained most at risk of obesity. Preventive measures, physical activity and nutrition interventions are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education & Nutrition Education, Faculty of Education & Social Work, University of Sydney, Building A35, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. jennifer.odea@sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: O'Dea
authors.forename: Trang D H
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Nguyen Hoang
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dibley
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012574:Schools; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires