Prevalence of weight excess according to age group in students from Campinas, SP, Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of weight excess in children and adolescents attending public and private schools of Campinas, Southeast Brazil, according to age group.METHODS: Cross-sectional study that enrolled 3,130 students from 2010 to 2012. The weight and the height were measured and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The students were classified by BMI Z-score/age curves of the World Health Organization (WHO)-2007 (thinness, normal weight, overweight and obesity) and by age group (7-10, 11-14 and 15-18 years). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was applied to verify variables associated to overweight and obesity.RESULTS: Among the 3,130 students, 53.7% attended public schools and 53.4% were girls. The prevalence of weight excess (overweight or obesity) was higher in private schools (37.3%) than in public ones (32.9%) and among males (37.5%), compared to females (32.7%; p<0.05). The chance of having weight excess in children aged 7-10 years was more than twice of those over 15 years old (OR 2.4; 95%CI 2.0-3.0) and it was 60% higher for the group with 11-14 years old (OR 1.6; 95%CI 1.3-2.0). The chance of being obese was three times higher in 7-10 years old children than in the adolescents with 15-18 years old (OR 4.4; 95%CI 3.3-6.4) and 130% higher than the group with 11-14 years old (OR 2.3; 95%CI 1.6-3.2).CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of weight excess in Campinas keeps increasing at an alarming rate, especially in the younger age group.

研究目的：旨在评估巴西东南部坎皮纳斯市公立与私立学校在读儿童及青少年的体重超标患病率，并按年龄组进行分类统计。研究方法：本研究为横断面研究，于2010年至2012年间纳入3130名学生。研究人员测量了受试者的身高与体重，并计算了体质指数（Body Mass Index, BMI）。依据世界卫生组织（World Health Organization, WHO）2007年版BMI Z评分-年龄曲线，将学生分为体重过轻、体重正常、超重及肥胖四类，并按年龄划分为7-10岁、11-14岁、15-18岁三个组别。采用多项逻辑回归分析，探究与超重及肥胖相关的影响变量。研究结果：在3130名学生中，53.7%就读于公立学校，53.4%为女生。体重超标（超重或肥胖）的患病率在私立学校（37.3%）高于公立学校（32.9%），男性群体（37.5%）亦高于女性群体（32.7%；p<0.05）。7-10岁儿童出现体重超标的概率是15岁以上青少年的2倍以上（优势比（Odds Ratio, OR）=2.4，95%置信区间（Confidence Interval, CI）：2.0-3.0）；11-14岁群体的体重超标概率较15-18岁组高60%（OR=1.6，95%CI：1.3-2.0）。7-10岁儿童的肥胖发生概率是15-18岁青少年的3倍（OR=4.4，95%CI：3.3-6.4），较11-14岁组高130%（OR=2.3，95%CI：1.6-3.2）。研究结论：坎皮纳斯市儿童及青少年的体重超标患病率正以惊人的速度持续上升，低龄年龄组的这一趋势尤为显著。