title: Prevalence of overweight/obesity and its association with sedentary behavior in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children in the northeast region of Portugal, and to examine its association with sedentary behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected on 1786 children (907 boys, 879 girls) aged 6 to 13 years. Body mass index was calculated from measured height and weight (weight in kg/height in m squared). Overweight and obesity were determined using the International Obesity Task Force cutoff values. Sedentary behavior was assessed based on means of transport to and from school and time spent watching TV and playing video games (TVPC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalences of overweight and obesity were 22.6% and 9.4% respectively. The differences between the sexes for both overweight and obesity were not significant. Most of the children (78.4%) go to school by car. Boys spend more time on TVPC than girls, both on weekdays and on weekends. The logistic regression model indicated a significant effect of 1.5 hours of TVPC by boys during weekdays (OR=0.246; p=0.015). Boys who spent less than 1.5 hours on weekdays on TVPC were 75.4% less likely to be overweight than those who spent more than 1.5 hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 32%. Only 12.2% of the children spend less than 1.5 hours on TVPC. Boys who spend less than 1.5 hours on TVPC are 75.4% less likely to be overweight/obese than those who spend more than 1.5 hours.
authors.affiliation: Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Department of Sports Science, Bragança, Portugal. catarinav@ipb.pt
authors.forename: Catarina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vasques
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.forename: Vítor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D057185:Sedentary Behavior