To present data on body size, lifestyle and health status in students in their final year in high... more To present data on body size, lifestyle and health status in students in their final year in high schools in Gothenburg area, Sweden, with specific attention to origin and gender. Weight, height and waist circumference were measured by standardized procedures. Self-administered questionnaires described dietary habits, sleep, physical activity, body image, country of origin and general health. Eighty-six percent of participants, (2600 girls, 2714 boys, mean age 18.6 years) were of Nordic origin, 86% reported no chronic health problems and 14%/19% of girls/boys were overweight or obese. Girls consumed more vegetables and fruits and fewer sweet drinks than boys, while breakfast consumption was most common in Nordic groups. Boys reported more positive answers than girls regarding body image. Nordic girls had more negative body image and higher morbidity compared with other groups. Within this generally healthy cohort, boys were more likely to be overweight/obese than girls, although paradoxically boys were more satisfied with their appearance. Nordic girls constitute a group with particularly high risk of reporting low body self-esteem and chronic morbidity. In the longer term, the current cross-sectional data on body size, lifestyle and health will provide important baseline information for future follow-up studies of health outcomes in later life.
High physical activity, low sedentary behavior and low consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages c... more High physical activity, low sedentary behavior and low consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages can be markers of a healthy lifestyle. We aim to observe longitudinal changes and secular trends in these lifestyle variables as well as in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 7-to-9-year-old schoolchildren related to gender and socioeconomic position. Three cross-sectional surveys were carried out on schoolchildren in grades 1 and 2 (7-to-9-year-olds) in 2008 (n = 833), 2010 (n = 1085), and 2013 (n = 1135). Information on children's level of physical activity, sedentary behavior, diet, and parent's education level was collected through parental questionnaires. Children's height and weight were also measured. Longitudinal measurements were carried out on a subsample (n = 678) which was included both in 2008 (7-to-9-year-olds) and 2010 (9-to-11-year-olds). BMI was used to classify children into overweight (including obese) and obese based on the International Obesity Ta...
To assess the recent prevalence of overweight and obesity in 10 year old children in Göteborg, Sw... more To assess the recent prevalence of overweight and obesity in 10 year old children in Göteborg, Sweden. Cross-sectional data on weight and height from school health examinations, including fourth grade children, born in 1974 (n=4126), 1990 (n=4683) and 1994 (n=4193) and measured in academic years 1984/1985, 2000/2001 and 2004/2005, were used. Weight classification was based on age- and sex-specific body mass index cutoff values. The two latest cohorts were classified according to socio-economic areas. Between 2000/2001 and 2004/2005, the prevalence of overweight plus obesity in girls decreased from 19.6% to 15.9% (p<0.01). Prevalence of obesity was 3.0% and 2.5% (nonsignificant), respectively. In boys, all differences between the corresponding cohorts were nonsignificant: 17.1% versus 17.6% were overweight (including obese) and 2.9% versus 2.8% were obese. In 1984/1985, prevalence of overweight plus obesity was only 8.6% among girls and 7.2% among boys, while 0.8% and 0.7% were classified as obese, respectively. The socio-economic gradient in overweight prevalence remained, particularly in girls. This study suggests that the obesity epidemic in 10-11 year olds may be easing off in urban Sweden, and possibly reversing among girls. Even if future monitoring confirms these findings, much health promoting work still remains since the power of the 'obesogenic environment' will probably continue to be strong.
Epidemiology of Obesity in Children and Adolescents, 2010
... Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza, Spain e-mail: gereva@comz.org A. Sjöber... more ... Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza, Spain e-mail: gereva@comz.org A. Sjöberg and L. Lissner Department of Public Health and Community Medicine/EPI, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden LA Moreno GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and ...
To present data on body size, lifestyle and health status in students in their final year in high... more To present data on body size, lifestyle and health status in students in their final year in high schools in Gothenburg area, Sweden, with specific attention to origin and gender. Weight, height and waist circumference were measured by standardized procedures. Self-administered questionnaires described dietary habits, sleep, physical activity, body image, country of origin and general health. Eighty-six percent of participants, (2600 girls, 2714 boys, mean age 18.6 years) were of Nordic origin, 86% reported no chronic health problems and 14%/19% of girls/boys were overweight or obese. Girls consumed more vegetables and fruits and fewer sweet drinks than boys, while breakfast consumption was most common in Nordic groups. Boys reported more positive answers than girls regarding body image. Nordic girls had more negative body image and higher morbidity compared with other groups. Within this generally healthy cohort, boys were more likely to be overweight/obese than girls, although paradoxically boys were more satisfied with their appearance. Nordic girls constitute a group with particularly high risk of reporting low body self-esteem and chronic morbidity. In the longer term, the current cross-sectional data on body size, lifestyle and health will provide important baseline information for future follow-up studies of health outcomes in later life.
High physical activity, low sedentary behavior and low consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages c... more High physical activity, low sedentary behavior and low consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages can be markers of a healthy lifestyle. We aim to observe longitudinal changes and secular trends in these lifestyle variables as well as in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 7-to-9-year-old schoolchildren related to gender and socioeconomic position. Three cross-sectional surveys were carried out on schoolchildren in grades 1 and 2 (7-to-9-year-olds) in 2008 (n = 833), 2010 (n = 1085), and 2013 (n = 1135). Information on children's level of physical activity, sedentary behavior, diet, and parent's education level was collected through parental questionnaires. Children's height and weight were also measured. Longitudinal measurements were carried out on a subsample (n = 678) which was included both in 2008 (7-to-9-year-olds) and 2010 (9-to-11-year-olds). BMI was used to classify children into overweight (including obese) and obese based on the International Obesity Ta...
To assess the recent prevalence of overweight and obesity in 10 year old children in Göteborg, Sw... more To assess the recent prevalence of overweight and obesity in 10 year old children in Göteborg, Sweden. Cross-sectional data on weight and height from school health examinations, including fourth grade children, born in 1974 (n=4126), 1990 (n=4683) and 1994 (n=4193) and measured in academic years 1984/1985, 2000/2001 and 2004/2005, were used. Weight classification was based on age- and sex-specific body mass index cutoff values. The two latest cohorts were classified according to socio-economic areas. Between 2000/2001 and 2004/2005, the prevalence of overweight plus obesity in girls decreased from 19.6% to 15.9% (p<0.01). Prevalence of obesity was 3.0% and 2.5% (nonsignificant), respectively. In boys, all differences between the corresponding cohorts were nonsignificant: 17.1% versus 17.6% were overweight (including obese) and 2.9% versus 2.8% were obese. In 1984/1985, prevalence of overweight plus obesity was only 8.6% among girls and 7.2% among boys, while 0.8% and 0.7% were classified as obese, respectively. The socio-economic gradient in overweight prevalence remained, particularly in girls. This study suggests that the obesity epidemic in 10-11 year olds may be easing off in urban Sweden, and possibly reversing among girls. Even if future monitoring confirms these findings, much health promoting work still remains since the power of the 'obesogenic environment' will probably continue to be strong.
Epidemiology of Obesity in Children and Adolescents, 2010
... Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza, Spain e-mail: gereva@comz.org A. Sjöber... more ... Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza, Spain e-mail: gereva@comz.org A. Sjöberg and L. Lissner Department of Public Health and Community Medicine/EPI, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden LA Moreno GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and ...
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