title: The prevalence of overweight and obesity, and distribution of waist circumference, in adults and children in the French Overseas Territories: the PODIUM survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to describe the prevalence of overweight (excluding obesity) and obesity, and distribution of waist circumference, in children and adults in four French Overseas Territories (Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana in the Caribbean and French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean).
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey was designed to provide a sample representative of the population in each of the four territories. The protocol aimed to evaluate 600 adults (aged ≥ 15 years) and 300 children (aged: 5-14 years) in each territory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In children, the differences were small among the territories in the prevalence of overweight (excluding obesity), as defined by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF): Guadeloupe, 15.4%; Martinique, 17.0%; French Guiana, 13.2%; and French Polynesia, 17.2% (P = 0.49). Larger, significant, differences were observed for obesity, with prevalences of 7.2%, 7.7%, 5.4% and 15.9%, respectively (P < 0.002). In adults, the prevalence of obesity also differed significantly among the territories: 22.9%, 22.0%, 17.9% and 33.1% in Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana and French Polynesia, respectively (P < 0.001, adjusted for age and gender). However, overweight (excluding obesity) was again more homogeneously distributed, with prevalences of 31.7%, 33.6%, 30.3% and 34.4%, respectively (P = 0.43, adjusted for age and gender). Waist circumference was larger in French Polynesia than in the other territories in both genders, and in both children and adults.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While the distribution of overweight was relatively homogeneous, the prevalence of obesity differed considerably across the four territories. It was especially high in French Polynesia, and in children and women. Appropriate programmes are urgently needed in these populations, especially in children, to avoid the morbidity associated with obesity.
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne-diabétologie, centre hospitalier de l'Ouest Guyanais, 97393 Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, French Guiana.
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Daigre
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Atallah
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Boissin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jean-Baptiste
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kangambega
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chevalier
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Balkau
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smadja
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Inamo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005616:French Guiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D019430:Guadeloupe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008395:Martinique / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011114:Polynesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D017678:Sex Distribution; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055105:Waist Circumference