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- Title
Prevalence and awareness of excess weight in 13 and 14 year olds in Northern Ireland using recent international guidelines.
- Authors
Yarnell, J W G; McCrum, E E; Patterson, C C; Skidmore, P; Shields, M D; McMahon, J; Evans, A E
- Abstract
Concern has been expressed in recent years over the rising trends in overweight and obesity, particularly in children in developed countries. No recent data were available for Northern Ireland; therefore measurements of height and weight were included in a study in Northern Ireland originally designed as part of an international study to estimate the prevalence of symptoms of asthma and atopy in childhood. Twenty-six schools across the province were sampled, 2484 children aged mainly 13 and 14 y completed questionnaires, and 2307 were weighed and measured. Using recently proposed international guidelines on defining overweight and obesity in children the prevalence of overweight in boys was 16%, with 4% being obese. In girls 16% were also overweight and 2% were obese. This concurs with figures for English and Scottish schoolchildren up to 12 y of age from 1994. Less than one-sixth of obese boys but more than onethird of obese girls were on weight-reducing diets (the majority self-prescribed), reflecting differing attitudes towards excess weight. Conclusion: In line with figures in younger children from England and Scotland this study shows that 16% of boys and girls from Northern Ireland are classed as overweight using recent international guidelines. Only 15% of obese boys compared with 38% of obese girls stated that they were on weight-reducing diets.
- Subjects
NORTHERN Ireland; CHILDHOOD obesity; JUVENILE diseases
- Publication
Acta Paediatrica, 2001, Vol 90, Issue 12, p1435
- ISSN
0803-5253
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1651-2227.2001.tb01610.x