title: Prevalence and characteristics of overweight and obesity in indigenous Australian children: A systematic review.
abstract: Evidence-based profiling of obesity and overweight in Indigenous Australian children has been poor. This study systematically reviewed evidence of the prevalence and patterns of obesity/overweight, with respect to gender, age, remoteness, and birth weight, in Indigenous Australian children, 0-18 years (PROSPERO CRD42014007626). Study quality and risk of bias were assessed. Twenty-five publications (21 studies) met inclusion criteria, with large variations in prevalence for obesity or overweight (11 to 54%) reported. A high degree of heterogeneity in study design was observed, few studies (6/21) were representative of the target population, and few appropriately recruited Indigenous children (8/21). Variability in study design, conduct, and small sample sizes mean that it is not possible to derive a single estimate for prevalence although two high-quality studies indicate at least one in four Indigenous Australian children are overweight or obese. Four of six studies reporting on gender, found overweight/obesity higher in girls and eight studies reporting on overweight/obesity by age suggest prevalence increases with age with one high quality large national study reporting total overweight/obesity as 22.4% of children aged 2-4 years, 27.5% of those aged 5-9, 38.5% aged 10-14, and 36.3% aged 15-17. Three of four studies, reporting obesity/overweight by region, found lower rates for children living in more remote areas than urban areas.
authors.affiliation: a School of Public Health , University of Adelaide , Adelaide , Australia.|b SAHMRI, Wardliparingga Aboriginal Research Unit , North Tce, Adelaide , Australia.
authors.forename: Suzanne Marie
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Dyer
authors.affiliation: a School of Public Health , University of Adelaide , Adelaide , Australia.|b SAHMRI, Wardliparingga Aboriginal Research Unit , North Tce, Adelaide , Australia.
authors.forename: Judith Streak
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Gomersall
authors.affiliation: a School of Public Health , University of Adelaide , Adelaide , Australia.
authors.forename: Lisa Gaye
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Smithers
authors.affiliation: b SAHMRI, Wardliparingga Aboriginal Research Unit , North Tce, Adelaide , Australia.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davy
authors.affiliation: c Yaitya Purruna Indigenous Health Unit , University of Adelaide , Adelaide , Australia.
authors.forename: Dylan T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.affiliation: a School of Public Health , University of Adelaide , Adelaide , Australia.
authors.forename: Jackie Mary
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Street
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000208:ethnology*; D044382:Population Groups; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Australia; Obesity; adolescents; children; indigenous; overweight