Increasing rate of weight loss among schoolchildren, especially girls, in Sweden

Assessment of dietary habits and nutritional status among adolescent girls in a rural area of Puducherry: a community-based cross-sectional study

Background Adolescence is a crucial period for growth and dietary habit formation among females for leading a healthy life in future. Objective To assess the dietary habits and nutritional status using the body mass index (BMI) among adolescent girls from a rural village in Puducherry. Methodology This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted during February 2017 among 252 adolescent girls in rural Puducherry. A semi-structured pre-tested interview schedule was used to obtain information on socio-demographic details and dietary habits from adolescent girls. Height and weight were measured by standard techniques recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Nutritional status was assessed according to the WHO BMI for age for 5-19 years. Regular and occasional food consumption were defined as consumption of particular items >3 and <3 times a week, respectively. Results Mean age of the participants was 13.79 + 2.11 years and 91.3% were non-vegetarians. The majority of adolescent girls ate cereals (97.4%) and pulses (54%) regularly. However, regular vegetable (34.5%) and fruit (13.1%) consumption was low. Only about 10% and <2% had regular consumption of milk and iron-rich vegetables and fruits, respectively. Regular consumption of junk food items was found among 5.6%. Prevalence of thinness among adolescent girls was 10.7% (95% CI: 7.3-15) and overweight was 13.5% (95% CI: 9.7-18.1). Conclusion In this adolescent population, though consumption of cereals and pulses were adequate and satisfactory, the consumption of fruits, vegetables and iron/calcium rich foods was inadequate and poor. About one-fourth of adolescent girls had an abnormal nutritional status. Hence, focused nutritional and health-education intervention should be given to encourage the consumption of fruits and vegetables, iron-rich and calcium-rich food items.

Do substantial BMI reduction episodes among Swedish schoolchildren have any impact on their final height?

AIM

This study investigated whether substantial body mass index (BMI) reductions in Swedish schoolchildren aged seven years to 19 years, caused by disease, healthy or unhealthy behaviour, had any impact on their final height.

METHODS

We used height and weight data on 6572 subjects from two nationally representative longitudinal samples of Swedish children born in 1973 and 1981. These provided information on their final height and any BMI reduction episodes.

RESULTS

Of the 6572 subjects (50.9% boys), among individuals with information on final height, 1118 had a BMI reduction of 5% and <10%, and 346 had at least one substantial BMI reduction of 10% or more. On a group level, there was no statistically significant difference in the final height of individuals with BMI reductions of 10% or more and those without. The findings were independent of age and the subject's BMI at the start of the reduction episode. However, there were a number of cases where a substantial BMI reduction probably had an impact on the subject's final height.

CONCLUSION

Our study found no evidence that a substantial BMI reduction had any impact on final height on a group level, but further analyses of specific case studies are necessary to determine whether substantial BMI reduction might have an impact on final height.

Associations between different forms of body dissatisfaction and the use of weight-related behaviors among a representative population-based sample of adolescents

Weight management strategies have two components: weight goals and behaviors to reach weight goals. In the literature, weight goals and weight-related behaviors have both been linked with body dissatisfaction separately, but have rarely been examined simultaneously. This paper examines the associations between different forms of body dissatisfaction and various weight-related behaviors and investigates the moderating role of weight goals in these associations. Measures included weight goals (matching or mismatching current weight status), self-reported frequencies of use of weight-related behaviors, and a body dissatisfaction measure (strength of aspiring for weight gain or weight loss) from a representative population-based sample of adolescents (n = 2,346, 51 % female). Sex-specific multilevel logistic and ordinal regression analyses indicated that aspiring for a thinner body among girls was associated with more frequent use of healthy and unhealthy behaviors, whereas body dissatisfaction of any type among boys was linked to more frequent use of unhealthy behaviors. Girls aspiring for substantial weight loss and boys aspiring for substantial weight gain were more likely to use disordered health behaviors. Aiming for a goal that is mismatched with current weight status increases the use of unhealthy behaviors among body dissatisfied adolescents. We conclude that in order to elaborate interventions aimed at promoting health, research should focus on processes leading to specific forms of body dissatisfaction which in turn produce varying frequencies of use of weight-related behaviors.

Underweight and overweight in primary school children in eThekwini district in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Background: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children has been increasing worldwide. South Africa has minimal data on childhood body weight.Objectives: This study determined whether school children in the eThekwini district in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, were underweight or overweight.Method: A survey with quantitative and qualitative components was conducted amongst 120 participants between 10 years and 12 years of age. The participants were randomly selected from six public schools in an urban district of the province. A calibrated Goldline bathroom scale was used to measure body weight and a KDS Freo non-elastic measuring tape was used to measure height. A questionnaire consisting of open and close-ended questions collected demographic and lifestyle information. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from height and weight data. Proportions of obese, overweight and underweight children were calculated and subjected to chi-square tests at the p ≤ 0.05 significance level. All qualitative information was summarised.Results: According to World Health Organization criteria, 66% of the children were underweight, 28% were of normal weight and 5% were overweight. The proportion of underweight children increased with age (64% of children aged between 10 years and 11 years vs 70% for 12-year-olds). Of the underweight children, 41% were female and 51% were Indian.Only one child was obese. BMI was related to dietary patterns and activity levels during and outside school hours.Conclusion: A significant number of primary school children from the six selected public schools in the eThekwini district were underweight. More effort is required to improve the nutritional status of school children in the eThekwini district.

Obesity in Swedish schoolchildren is increasing in both prevalence and severity

PURPOSE

To monitor and describe, on a national level, the development of body mass index (BMI), overweight, and obesity of schoolchildren in Sweden aged 7-18 years over a period of 8 years.

METHODS

Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of two nationally representative cohorts. A representative sample of 3,749 individuals from a birth cohort of 109,663 individuals born in 1973, and another representative sample of 3,158 individuals from a birth cohort of 94,064 individuals born in 1981; 4.5% and 1.6% of those born in 1973 and 1981, respectively, were missing from the sample. Data regarding height and weight from school health records.

RESULTS

From age 7-18 year, a strong positive secular change in BMI is found at all ages, and the rate of overweight and obesity is increasing for both boys and girls. Furthermore, obesity is growing more severe.

CONCLUSIONS

Nationally representative longitudinal BMI data for two cohorts, in which nonresponse bias is minimized, permitted monitoring and revealed a nationwide strongly positive secular change in BMI in Sweden, over a period of 8 years for individuals aged 7-18 years.