Increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the pediatric population of the province of Alicante (Spain) in the last 10 years.

INTRODUCTION

Obesity in childhood and adolescence has reached alarming proportions in Europe and the United States. As the incidence of childhood obesity has increased during last few years, the consequences of obesity in children, including type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular disease, have also increased.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: We performed a cross-sectional epidemiological study of a cohort of schoolchildren in the province of Alicante, aged 6-11 years old (n=394; 204 boys and 190 girls). Height, weight, body perimeters and skinfolds were measured. Obesity was defined according to body mass index (BMI), body perimeters and skinfolds≥2 standard deviations or≥97th percentile, using the longitudinal study of Zaragoza and Spanish growth data provided by the enKid study as the reference populations. We compared our results with the study performed in 1993 in the same province. A survey on nutritional and exercise habits was also carried out.

RESULTS

The prevalence of obesity in schoolchildren in the province of Alicante, according to their BMI, ranged from 13.5% to 18.8%, depending on the growth curves used as a reference. The prevalence of overweight and obesity, based on growth and weight growth curves, increased from 9.71% to 22.3% and from 8.93% to 18.8% in boys and girls, respectively, in the last 10 years in the schoolchildren in the province of Alicante. According to our nutritional survey, intake of fruit and vegetables was low in this population. Moreover, a clear association was found between obesity and lack of physical exercise, this factor being highly important in the pathogenesis of childhood obesity.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased in Alicante since 1993.