Decreased prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia and stabilisation of obesity trends in 5-year-old children: possible effects of changed public health policies.
BACKGROUND
Overweight/obesity in children is a worldwide public health problem. Together with hypercholesterolaemia they are associated with early atherosclerotic complications.


OBJECTIVE
In this study, we aimed to investigate the anthropometric characteristics and total cholesterol (TC) levels in a population of 5-year-old children, to determine trends in the prevalence of overweight/obesity and hypercholesterolaemia in 5-year-old children over a period of 8 years (2001-2009) and to assess the impact of modified national nutritional guidelines for kindergartens implemented in 2005.


METHODS
Cross-sectional studies of overweight/obesity prevalence in the years 2001, 2003-2005 and 2009, and hypercholesterolaemia in years 2001 and 2009, in 5-year-old children.


METHODS
Altogether, 12 832 (6308 girls/6524 boys) children were included.


METHODS
Overweight/obesity was defined by IOTF criteria. Hypercholesterolaemia was defined by TC level >5 mmol/l. Multivariable logistic regression models were used.


RESULTS
NO CORRELATION BETWEEN BMI VALUES AND TC LEVELS WAS FOUND. OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY PREVALENCE WERE STABILISED FROM 2001 TO 2009 (ODDS RATIO (OR) (95% CI): 1.13 (0.99-1.3) and 1.13 (0.89-1.42) respectively). Girls were more frequently overweight/obese than boys (OR (95% CI): 0.71 (0.65-0.79) and 0.75 (0.64-0.89) respectively). Prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia significantly decreased from 2001 to 2009 (OR (95% CI): 0.47 (0.41-0.55)). It was less frequent in boys than in girls (OR (95% CI): O.7 (0.61-0.8)).


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to describe a negative trend in the prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia in pre-pubertal children. In addition, the prevalence of overweight/obesity in these children has been stabilised. Nationwide changes in public health policies could have influenced these observations.
Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Children's Hospital, University Clinical Centre Ljubljana, Bohoričeva 20, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Katarina
K
Sedej
Primož
P
Kotnik
Magdalena
M
Avbelj Stefanija
Urh
U
Grošelj
Andreja
A
Širca Čampa
Lara
L
Lusa
Tadej
T
Battelino
Nataša
N
Bratina
D015992:Body Mass Index; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D017524:Slovenia / Q000453:epidemiology