Changes in the prevalence of overweight/obesity and adiposity among pre-school children in Kraków, Poland, from 2008 to 2018

2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 895-906 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Żegleń ◽  
Łukasz Kryst ◽  
Małgorzata Kowal ◽  
Agnieszka Woronkowicz ◽  
Jan Sobiecki

AbstractSocioeconomic changes occurring over time influence the lifestyle choices of a population, and these can significantly affect children’s body weight and composition. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in prevalence of overweight, obesity and adiposity in pre-school children in Poland between 2008 and 2018. Body height, body weight and subscapular and triceps skinfolds were measured in 2167 children aged 3–7 years from Kraków. Body mass index and adiposity (percentage body fat, %BF) were calculated for the children, who were then categorized as underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese according to Cole’s cut-off points. Adiposity was categorized according to the z-scores for %BF as low (<−1), normal (−1 to 1) or high (>1). Differences between cohorts were analysed using the chi-squared test. Only the decrease in the prevalence of obesity in 5-year-old girls was found to be statistically significant. However, some overall tendencies were noted. Decreases in the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity were observed for both sexes, as well as in the incidence of high adiposity in boys and low adiposity in girls. Increases in the prevalence of high adiposity in girls and low adiposity in boys were also noted. There was no significant change in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among pre-school children over the study decade, and the visible tendencies included decreases in the prevalence of excess body weight and adiposity as well as underweight and low body fat. Also, the visible trends in adiposity were mostly negative. Further studies should, however, also consider the levels of physical fitness and activity of children, as these have a crucial influence on the measured characteristics.

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 244-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deirdre K. Tobias ◽  
JoAnn E. Manson

The obesity paradox for survival among individuals with type 2 diabetes has been observed in some but not all studies. Conflicting evidence for the role of overweight and obesity in all-cause mortality may largely be a result of differences in study populations, epidemiological methods, and statistical analysis. For example, analyses among populations with long-term prevalent diabetes and the accrual of other chronic health conditions are more likely to observe that the sickest participants have lower body weights, and therefore, relative to normal weight, overweight and even obesity appear advantageous. Other mortality risk factors, such as smoking, also confound the relationship between body weight and survival, but this behavior varies widely in intensity and duration, making it difficult to assess and effectively adjust for in statistical models. Disentangling the potential sources of bias is imperative in understanding the relevance of excess body weight to mortality in diabetes. In this review, we summarize methodological considerations underlying the observed obesity paradox. Based on the available evidence, we conclude that the obesity paradox is likely an artifact of biases, and once these are accounted for, it is evident that compared with normal body weight, excess body weight is associated with a greater mortality risk.


Author(s):  
Magdalena Żegleń ◽  
Łukasz Kryst ◽  
Małgorzata Kowal ◽  
Agnieszka Woronkowicz

Abstract Background Human development is strongly influenced by environmental factors, including the socioeconomic status (SES) of the family. The aim of this study is to analyze the prevalence of excess body weight among Polish children and adolescents from families of varying SES examined in 1983 and 2020. Methods The study group included 3–15-year olds from two cross-sectional surveys (1983 and 2020) conducted in kindergartens and schools. The 1983 cohort consisted of 3394 individuals and the one from 2020—of 1253 children and adolescents. Body height and weight were measured and body mass index was calculated. Inclusion into underweight, normal weight and overweight/obese categories was based on Cole’s cutoff points. SES was established based on the place of the parents’ birth, parents’, education status and the number of children in the family, which were self-reported in a questionary by the parents of the examined individuals. Results The mean overall SES was higher in the 2020 cohort, in comparison to the one examined in 1983. This change was also reflected by the changing prevalence of excess body weight, which, in 1983 was the greatest in the high socioeconomic category. On the other hand, in 2020 overweight/obesity was the most prevalent among individuals from families of low SES. Conclusions The present results confirm the findings obtained in other countries, which suggest that changing the level of socioeconomic development modifies the changes regarding the prevalence of excess body weight. It is an important observation because a study of this type has not yet been conducted in the Polish population.


Author(s):  
Nurka Pranjic ◽  
Selma Azabagic

Background Children often suffer the nonspecific musculosceletal pain as reported in literature. Aim To determine relationship between body weights with development of musculoskeletal pain and to determine whether growing in body height is associated with musculoskeletal pain in schoolchildren. Subjects/ Methods A prospective longitudinal study included 1315 school children aged 7-14 years (652 boys and 663 girls) and was performed in 13 elementary schools in B&amp;H. Child body height and body weight were measured. The survey of perception of musculoskeletal pain in different body regions of subjects was conducted by adjusted Nordic Musculosceletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Results The highest prevalence of an overweight and obesity in the 10th year 35.7% and the lowest frequency 17.8% in the 14th year was. In the age 14th obesity was&rsquo;nt found. Boys have more prevalence of overweight. Using logistic regression model, we found that school children with normal BMI were protected with increased body height of acute lower back pain (&beta;= -0.089, 95%CI, -9.730- -0.023, P&lt; 0.049), and increased body height was protector of obese school children of acute upper back pain (&beta;= -0.356, 95%CI, -14.077- -3.878, P&lt; 0.001) and chronic lower back pain (&beta;= -0.356, 95%CI, -14.077- -3.878, P&lt; 0.001). Conclusion Schoolchildren with normal weight more often have had musculosceletal pain than those with overweight or obesity. This can be associated with intense physical growth period in height, especially. The assumption is that the increase in height changes the relationship between excessive BMI and musculoskeletal pain in children of school age.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 3492
Author(s):  
Souhail Hermassi ◽  
Lawrence D. Hayes ◽  
René Schwesig

This study examined the physical fitness, anthropometry, and throwing velocity of normal weight and overweight male team handball players. Twenty-five players from the Qatar handball first professional league participated. The anthropometry and physical performance—yo-yo intermittent recovery test, jumping ability (squat and countermovement jumps (SJ and CMJ)), T-half test for change-of-direction (COD) ability, sprint tests (15 and 30 m), and 3 kg medicine ball overhead throw—was measured. The handball-throwing velocity was measured using a three-step running shot and a jump shot. Only the CMJ (p = 0.016, ηp2 = 0.227) was different between the normal and overweight subjects. Two-step linear regression analysis using body height and body mass (step 1) and percentage body fat (%BF) (step 2) predictors showed an increase in the explained variance by adding %BF. The largest r2 change was calculated for COD (0.53). The predictive ability was observed for CMJ (step 1: r2 = 0.18, step 2: r2 = 0.22) and SJ (step 1: r2 = 0.05, step 2: r2 = 0.09). With the exception of the sprint parameters (β-coefficient 15 m sprint: −0.07; β-coefficient 30 m sprint: −0.06) and COD (β-coefficient: −0.09), a lower %BF was associated with greater performance in all parameters. %BF seems to be important for predicting sprint and agility performance.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Obirikorang ◽  
Emmanuel Acheampong ◽  
Enoch Odame Anto ◽  
Yaa Obirikorang ◽  
Angela Nana Bosowah Fynn ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Anthropometric indices such as body mass index (BMI) is a widely used index of adiposity across clinical settings, yet there are limitations regarding their estimates of body fat. We determined the magnitude and the performance of fat mass index (FMI), and percentage body fat (PBF) for determining obesity among undergraduate students in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. Methods: This University community-based cross-sectional study included 1,552 undergraduate students (700 males and 852 females) aged 15–29 years from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. Anthropometric measurements and bioelectrical impedance analyses were performed. Data on sociodemographic and lifestyle-related characteristics were obtained using a structured questionnaire. Results: Comparing male to female students, the age-standardised prevalence of overweight/obesity was 10.8%/3.5% vs. 19.3%/7.6% (p<0.0001) for BMI criterion, 16.4%/8.5% vs. 21.9%/19.9% (p<0.0001) for PBF criterion and 16.0%/9.2 vs. 21.2%/22.0% for FMI criterion (p<0.0001), respectively. There was a stronger agreement between PBF and FMI in the classification of overweight and obesity in terms of males (kappa=0.855) and females (kappa=0.865) but a weak agreement between BMI and PBF and between BMI and FMI. About 29.3% of males and 61.4% of the females categorized as normal weight by BMI were identified as overweight by PBF. Similarly, 3.0% of male and 1.3% of females defined as normal weight by BMI were obese when examined by PBF. FMI can be predicted from BMI and BMI2 with much accuracy (mean bias = -0.1). Conclusion: The inconsistency observed between BMI and PBF reflects a limitation of BMI. FMI accurately assessed obesity with many conveniences as BMI to the same extent.


Author(s):  
Martyna Krogulec

This article addresses issues associated with the perception of obesity and being overweight in the labour market, and the issue of weight discrimination. Excess body weight has become a very serious social problem. The increase in rates of obesity and being overweight is a serious problem both for individuals and social policies in advanced societies. In some countries, over 50% of the population have excess body weight. The literature to date indicates that people struggling with being overweight and obesity are discriminated at work. Research shows that these individuals are believed to have lower leadership potential, a lower IQ and lower effectiveness compared to individuals of normal weight. For this reason, people with excess body weight are subjected to stigmatisation and discrimination, have limited chances of occupying managerial positions, and earn lower incomes. The article also shows whether and how overweight and obese people can defend their rights.


PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7175
Author(s):  
Guillermo Mendez-Rebolledo ◽  
Eduardo Guzman-Muñoz ◽  
Rodrigo Ramírez-Campillo ◽  
Pablo Valdés-Badilla ◽  
Carlos Cruz-Montecinos ◽  
...  

Background Several authors have indicated that excess body weight can modify the electromyographic (EMG) amplitude due to the accumulation of subcutaneous fat. This accumulation of adipose tissue around the muscle would affect the metabolic capacity during functional activities. On the other hand, some authors have not observed differences in the myoelectric manifestations of fatigue between normal weight and obese people. Furthermore, these manifestations have not been investigated regarding EMG onset latency, which indicates a pattern of muscle activation between different muscles. The objective of this study was to determine whether an increase in body weight, skinfolds, and muscle fatigue modify the trapezius and serratus anterior (SA) onset latencies and to determine the scapular muscle recruitment order in fatigue and excess body weight conditions. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out in a university laboratory. The participants were randomly assigned to the no-fatigue group (17 participants) or the fatigue (17 participants) group. The body mass index, skinfold thickness (axillary, pectoral, and subscapular), and percentage of body fat were measured. In addition, the onset latency of the scapular muscles [lower trapezius (LT), middle trapezius (MT), upper trapezius (UT), and SA] was assessed by surface EMG during the performance of a voluntary arm raise task. A multiple linear regression model was adjusted and analyzed for the additive combination of the variables, percentage body fat, skinfold thickness, and fatigue. The differences in onset latency between the scapular muscles were analyzed using a three-way repeated measure analysis of variance. In all the tests, an alpha level <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results For the MT, LT, and SA onset latencies, the body mass index was associated with a delayed onset latency when it was adjusted for the additive combination of percentage of body fat, skinfold thickness, and fatigue. Of these adjustment factors, the subscapular skinfold thickness (R2 = 0.51; β = 10.7; p = 0.001) and fatigue (R2 = 0.86; β = 95.4; p = 0.001) primarily contributed to the increase in SA onset latency. A significant muscle ×body mass index ×fatigue interaction (F = 4.182; p = 0.008) was observed. In the fatigue/excess body weight condition, the UT was activated significantly earlier than the other three scapular muscles (p < 0.001) and SA activation was significantly delayed compared to LT (p < 0.001). Discussion Excess body weight, adjusted for skinfold thickness (axillary and subscapular) and fatigue, increases the onset latency of the MT, LT, and SA muscles and modifies the recruitment order of scapular muscles. In fact, the scapular stabilizing muscles (MT, LT, and SA) increase their onset latency in comparison to the UT muscle. These results were not observed when excess body weight was considered as an individual variable or when adjusted by the percentage body fat.


2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 739-750
Author(s):  
Ioannis Vassiloudis ◽  
Vassiliki Costarelli

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate excess body weight and abdominal obesity in relation to selected psychosocial characteristics such as self-perception, self-esteem and anxiety, in primary school children. Design/methodology/approach A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted with a total of 528 students 10-12 years of age, randomly selected, from the area of Athens, Greece. The Greek versions of the self-perception profile for children (SPPC) and the state-trait anxiety inventory for children (STAI-C) questionnaires have been used to determine the children’s self-perception/self-esteem and the status of anxiety, respectively. Standard anthropometric measurements were also taken. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to test for possible linear correlations between data variables. One-way ANOVA and independent t-test were used to determine statistically significant differences between the means of children’s body mass index (BMI) – abdominal obesity groups. For multiple comparisons, Bonferroni post-tests were run. Findings Overweight and obese children and children with abdominal obesity had lower scores in all of the domains of SPPC self-perception, the SPPC global self-esteem and the STAI-C anxiety levels in comparison to normal weight children. BMI and abdominal obesity correlated negatively with each one of the five domains of the SPPC self-perception (p < 0.001) and the SPPC global self-esteem (p < 0.001) and positively with the STAI-C anxiety levels (p < 0.005). One-way ANOVA and independent t-test revealed statistically significant differences between the means of children’s BMI and abdominal obesity groups in all the domains of SPPC self-perception (p < 0.001), the SPPC global self-esteem (p < 0.001) and the STAI-C anxiety levels (p < 0.005). There were no gender differences in the psychometric characteristics assessed in this study. Originality/value Primary school children with excess body weight and abdominal obesity have increased anxiety levels and they score lower in key psychosocial characteristics, in comparison to normal weight children.


Author(s):  
Aysel Vehapoglu ◽  
Zeynep Ebru Cakın ◽  
Feyza Ustabas Kahraman ◽  
Mustafa Atilla Nursoy ◽  
Ali Toprak

Abstract Objectives It is unclear whether body weight status (underweight/normal weight/overweight/obese) is associated with allergic disease. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between body weight status (body mass index; BMI) and atopic allergic disease in prepubertal children, and to compare children with atopic allergic diseases with non atopic healthy children. Methods A prospective cross sectional study of 707 prepubertal children aged 3–10 years was performed; the participants were 278 atopic children with physician-diagnosed allergic disease (allergic rhinitis and asthma) (serum total IgE level >100 kU/l and eosinophilia >4%, or positivity to at least one allergen in skin test) and 429 non atopic healthy age- and sex-matched controls. Data were collected between December 2019 and November 2020 at the Pediatric General and Pediatric Allergy Outpatient Clinics of Bezmialem Vakıf University Hospital. Results Underweight was observed in 11.6% of all participants (10.8% of atopic children, 12.2% of healthy controls), and obesity in 14.9% of all participants (18.0% of atopic children, 12.8% of controls). Obese (OR 1.71; 95% CI: 1.08–2.71, p=0.021), and overweight status (OR 1.62; 95% CI: 1.06–2.50, p=0.026) were associated with an increased risk of atopic allergic disease compared to normal weight in pre-pubertal children. This association did not differ by gender. There was no relationship between underweight status and atopic allergic disease (OR 1.03; 95% CI: 0.63–1.68, p=0.894). Conclusions Overweight and obesity were associated with an increased risk of atopic allergic disease compared to normal weight among middle-income and high-income pre pubertal children living in Istanbul.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. e020802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bishwajit Ghose ◽  
Sanni Yaya

ObjectivesTo investigate the (1) time trends in body mass index (BMI) and (2) relationship between media use and body weight status among adult women in Nigeria. We hypothesise that higher frequency of media use is associated with higher likelihood of being overweight and obesity among adult women.Study designCross-sectional.SettingUrban and rural settings in Nigeria.ParticipantsAdult non-pregnant women aged between 15 and 49 years.MethodsData were derived from Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 2003, 2008 and 2013. The outcome variable was excess body weight (overweight and obesity), and main explanatory variables were frequency of reading newspaper, listening to radio and television (TV) viewing. Datasets were merged to perform pooled analysis, and were analysed using bivariate and multivariable regression techniques.ResultsOf the 69 401 participants, 16.2% had a BMI of 25.0–29.9 kg/m2(95% CI 15.8 to 16.6) and 6.6% had >30 kg/m2(95% CI 6.3 to 6.9). Between 2003 and 2013, the prevalence of overweight women increased by 4.1%, and that of obesity by 2.2%. Overall, radio was the most popular media followed by TV and newspaper. Respectively, 15.6% and 11.7% of the women reported using radio and TV almost every day and 30.6% and 25.1% at least once a week. In multivariable analysis, watching TV almost every day and at least once a week were associated with, respectively, 1.6 and 1.2 times higher odds of being overweight, and 2.7 and 1.5 times higher odds of being obese compared with those who never used radio. Similarly, significant associations were observed for newspaper and radio use as well.ConclusionThe prevalence of overweight and obesity is noticeably high among Nigerian women and has been increasing steadily over the past decade. A statistically significant association exists between BMI and the use of newspaper, radio and TV. Further studies are required to develop a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie this relationship.


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