Trends in Child Obesity and Underweight in Spain by Birth Year and Age, 1983 to 2011.
OBJECTIVE
The prevalences of child obesity and overweight are increasing worldwide and are a significant public health issue, particularly in terms of long-term cardiovascular risk profiles, which continue into adulthood unless obesity is reversed. Accurately identifying trends and at-risk subgroups is crucial to correctly target public health initiatives. The objective of this study was to examine changes in the prevalences of child obesity and underweight in Spain from 1983 to 2011 taking into consideration both age and birth year.


METHODS
A series of cross-sectional studies representative of the pediatric population in Spain between 1987 and 2011 was used to calculate the prevalence and trends of excess weight and underweight in girls and boys aged 2 to 14 years per survey year and per birth year.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity remained relatively stable. The prevalence of overweight in boys aged 10 to 14 years increased from 13.9% to 22.2%. The prevalence of obesity in girls aged 2 to 5 years decreased from 30% to 19.8%, whereas the prevalence of underweight in this group increased from 13.7% to 22.6%.


CONCLUSIONS
Child obesity trends in Spain over the last 2 decades appear to be stable with some fluctuations, but the trends differ depending on age and sex, and have stabilized at too high a level. The prevalence of underweight also appears to have increased and should be considered alongside excess weight when designing and implementing child health and weight measures.
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain. Electronic address: ideruiter@correo.ugr.es.
Ingrid
I
de Ruiter
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Granada, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.
Rocío
R
Olmedo-Requena
CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Granada, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain; Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, Granada, Spain.
José Juan
JJ
Sánchez-Cruz
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Granada, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.
José Juan
JJ
Jiménez-Moleón
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors
Child population; Epidemiology; Epidemiología; Factores de riesgo; Obesidad; Obesity; Población infantil; Risk factors; Tendencias; Trends