title: Childhood obesity and prevention in different socio-economic contexts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess recent trends in obesity, health beliefs, and lifestyles in Swedish schoolchildren, with focus on socioeconomic disparities.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in two areas with high and low socioeconomic status (SES). 340 11-12 year olds participated in three cross-sectional surveys assessing food-related behaviours, physical activity and health beliefs, together with anthropometric examinations. Comparisons were made before and after a community-based intervention (2003 versus 2008) within the low-SES school, and between the low and high-SES school (2008 only).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the low-SES school BMI z-score decreased over 5 years (0.80 vs 0.46) as did the percentage of children frequently consuming sweet drinks (43.5 vs 26.8%), statistically significant in girls only (p<0.05). Children increasingly perceived benefits of healthy life-styles (37 vs 55%). In 2008, consumption of breakfast, vegetables, sweets and sweet drinks differed between schools, as did screen-time and physical activity, all in favour of the high SES-school where the obesity-prevalence was significantly lower (0.8 vs 6.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positive changes in diet and weight status were observed, especially in girls, within a low-income multi-ethnic community undergoing a health promotion intervention. Our results underscore the multifactorial etiology of childhood obesity and the importance of continuing tailored, gender-sensitive prevention efforts.
authors: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Public Health Epidemiology Unit, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. maria.magnusson@allmed.gu.se
authors: Maria B
authors: MB
authors: Magnusson
authors: Agneta
authors: A
authors: Sjöberg
authors: Karin I
authors: KI
authors: Kjellgren
authors: Lauren
authors: L
authors: Lissner
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012923:Social Class; D013548:Sweden