Prevalencia y condicionantes de la obesidad en la población infantojuvenil de Cataluña, 2006-2012

Association between maternal and paternal employment and their children's weight status and unhealthy behaviours: does it matter who the working parent is?

Background

The growing number of employed women has been associated with an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children. We sought to determine whether childhood overweight/obesity in Spain is associated with labour participation of mothers and fathers, and whether the identity of the main caregiver has an influence on child’s weight and unhealthy behaviour.

Methods

We used microdata from the 2010 and 2014 Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children surveys performed in Spain (n = 32,694). Logistic and linear multi-level regression models were applied to assess the association between parental employment and children’s self-reported weight status, accounting for school effects and controlling for socioeconomic factors. Separated binary models were also fitted for consumption of fruit, sweets, screen viewing and sedentarism.

Results

In most cases, the significant associations between children’s weight and their parents’ work status disappeared once the models were adjusted for family wealth and education. However, we found persistent associations for some groups. Girls under 13 years-old living in households where the mother was the only employed parent were more likely to be affected by obesity and to report a higher body mass index value. Children in this type of household were more likely to show unhealthy lifestyles related to diet and leisure time activities.

Conclusions

Parents’ socioeconomic characteristics had a protective effect on their children’s risk of obesity. Unhealthy behaviours were observed in households with a non-working father and a working mother, although the link with obesity was limited to girls. Our results suggest the need for a more equally shared burden of caregiving.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13735-3.

Evolution of the Habits of Physical Activity and Television Viewing in Spanish Children and Pre-Adolescents between 1997 and 2017

Background: Promoting healthy lifestyles in children, has become a priority for public health institutions. However, electronic devices with screens encourage sedentary behaviors. The aim of this study was to analyze the evolution of the habits of physical activity practice and television watching in a cohort of 20 years of research in Spanish children. Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was based on data from the Spain National Health Surveys between 1997 and 2017 (N = 11,444). The dependent variables considered were the frequency with which the minor practiced physical activity (PA) in his/her spare time, the daily TV viewing habit, and the daily hours of TV viewing. Results: The children who practiced physical activity daily has decreased 7.3% throughout the study period. The proportion of children who watched the television daily for more hours increased significantly (6.3%). Such increase was constant throughout the years, and the analysis by sex showed that the proportion of boys who watched television for more than three hours per day increased three percent, and that of girls increased fourfold. Conclusions: The habits of physical activity practice and television viewing have changed towards sedentary lifestyle. Particularly, the girls and the children between 12 and 14 years showed the most sedentary behavior. Public health policies must consider the differences between sexes in order for such interventions to be effective in the population of pre-adolescents, in general, and girls, in particular.

[Prevalence of malnutrition in Spanish schoolchildren]

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS

The term malnutrition includes malnutrition due to excess or obesity, underweight as well as stunted growth. Its prevalence in a population can be estimated using anthropometric variables. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of malnutrition in Galician schoolchildren aged 6 to 15years in the school year 2013-2014.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted on a representative sample by gender and age of the Galician population of 6 to 15years old. The prevalence of obesity, underweight, and short stature was estimated by age and gender using the reference standards proposed by the World Health Organisation.

RESULTS

Of the total of 7,438 schoolchildren weighed and measured, 16.4% had malnutrition. The prevalence of obesity was 14.8%, underweight was 0.7%, and short stature for age was estimated at 1%. Obesity was more prevalent among boys. As regards underweight and short stature, when there were differences, prevalence was higher among girls.

CONCLUSIONS

In Galicia, 16 out of every 100 schoolchildren aged 6 to 15years had malnutrition, with that due to excess or obesity being the most frequent. Prevalence of underweight and short stature did not exceed 1%. This data shows that primary prevention measures should be promoted at an early age to reduce malnutrition due to excess or adiposity, in particular.

Childhood Excess Weight in Spain From 2006 to 2012. Determinants and Parental Misperception

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

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.

Assessment of physical activity levels, fitness and perceived barriers to physical activity practice in adolescents: cross-sectional study

Adolescence is a time of rapid physical, psychological and social changes. Recent studies show that, at this stage, there is a decrease in physical activity (PA) levels, along with high rates of overweight and obesity. The purpose of this study was to assess PA levels and physical condition (PC) related to perceived barriers (PB) and limiting factors for PA practice in a randomised sample of adolescents in Barcelona (Spain) considering overweight status and gender. One hundred and forty-three adolescents (53.8 % boys; median age of 15 years) of Secondary Education in public schools located in a randomly selected district (Sants - Montjuïc) in Barcelona (Spain) participated in a cross-sectional study. Variables assessed were (a) PC (ALPHA-Fitness), (b) PA levels (Physical Activity Questionnaire PAQ-A), and (c) perceived barriers (Self-Reported Barriers to Participation in Physical Activity questionnaire). The different variables were tested by calculating means and standard deviations, with the presence/absence of overweight, and according to the adolescents' gender. Means between groups were compared using Student's t test.

CONCLUSION

Significant differences in most results suggest a correlation between being overweight or obese and having a worse PC. The variables gender (being a girl) and body mass index (overweight or obese) showed a direct correlation to perceive significantly greater barriers to PA practice. What is known: • Epidemiological studies indicate that there is a high prevalence of overweight and obesity linked to an insufficient amount of physical activity (PA) practice in children and adolescents, which is accompanied higher rates of abandonment of the common PA practice as they grow up. • Perceived barriers to regular PA practice had increased in the adolescent population, accompanied with lower levels of PA practice. What is new: • This study shows for the first time the correlation between physical condition, PA levels, and perceived barriers to regular PA, considering overweight and gender. • There is a correlation between being overweight or obese and having a worse physical condition. The variables gender (being a girl) and body mass index (overweight or obese) showed a direct correlation to perceive significantly greater barriers to PA practice.