Childhood Excess Weight in Spain From 2006 to 2012. Determinants and Parental Misperception.
OBJECTIVE
Due to the high prevalence of childhood obesity in Spain, we analyzed changes in its prevalence from 2006 to 2007 and from 2011 to 2012, as well as diet, sleep, and sedentary habits in 5- to 14-year-olds and parental misperceptions about their children's excess weight.


METHODS
The sample was from the Spanish National Health Surveys for 2006 to 2007 (n=5590) and for 2011 to 2012 (n=3601). Data were collected by trained personnel through telephone interviews with parents/guardians. Weight and height were self-reported and the International Obesity Task Force cutpoints were used to define overweight and obesity.


RESULTS
The prevalence of childhood excess weight was 30.1% from 2006 to 2007 and 29.7% from 2011 to 2012, while that of childhood obesity was 9.6% and 9%, respectively. Parental misperception of childhood excess weight increased from 60.8% to 71.4% (P<.001). Daily consumption of vegetables increased by 7.8%, while that of soft drinks and snacks decreased. This decrease was greatest in children from families with a low socioeconomic status, who also decreased their consumption of sweets and fast food. Adherence to sleep recommendations decreased by 5%, but adherence to recommended sedentary time did not change.


CONCLUSIONS
High childhood overweight and obesity rates remained stable in Spain from 2006 to 2007 and from 2011 to 2012, but there was an increase in parental misperception of childhood excess weight. Despite reduced consumption of soft drinks and snacks, there was low adherence to dietary recommendations, hours of sleep, and sedentary habits.
Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Gestión de Calidad, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: mariaramirog@gmail.com.
María D
MD
Ramiro-González
Escuela Nacional de Sanidad, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain.
Belén
B
Sanz-Barbero
Escuela Nacional de Sanidad, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
Miguel Ángel
MÁ
Royo-Bordonada
D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D000070497:Healthy Lifestyle; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010465:Perception; D015995:Prevalence; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
Actividad sedentaria; Childhood obesity; Childhood overweight; Diet; Dieta; España; Horas de sueño; Hours of sleep; Nutrición; Nutrition; Obesidad infantil; Parental misperception; Percepción parental errónea; Sedentary activity; Sobrepeso infantil; Spain