Kosthold og fysisk aktivitet, har det en påvirkning på overvekt og fedme hos barn og unge? - En analyse av innsamlede data, og et systematisk litteratur søk
Year: 2012
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased during the last decades in many countries, and current prevalence data are alarming and give reason for serious health concerns in the future. However, our knowledge on the determinants of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence are limited, and more information is needed on the contribution of early development, social background, children’s diet and physical activity. The aim of this study was to identify if there where any differences in diet, leisure time and physical activity between a group of normal weight and a group of over weight/ obese adolescents in the age of 10 – 17 years old, and the following hypothesis was set: diet and physical activity has an effect on overweight and obesity among children and adolescents. It was conducted a data analysis and a systematic literature search to enlighten the subject. The secondary aim of the study was to compare different kinds of referencesystems based on BMI and detect if, and if so, why a system based on waist circumference, could be used as an alternative to reference systems based on BMI. Methods: The current research was conducted at different schools in Delitzsch, Germany during the spring 2010. It was a cross-sectional study in about 300 children and adolescents with detailed assessment of anthropometry, questionnaires on early development, social background, diet and physical activity of children aged 10- 17 years old. Early development was assessed by questionnaires to the mothers and included data on pregnancy and delivery, infant feeding and weight development during the first year of life. Parents were also asked on their BMI, education and occupational achievements. Dietary data focused on intake of sweets, fast food, fruit and vegetables and drinking habits. Results: The main finding was that there where only small, and mostly non- differences in the consumption of foods and beverages and physical activity between children with overweight/ obesity, and children with normal weight. The secondary finding was that the reference system based on waist circumference classified fewer children as obese than the system based on BMI. Conclusion: Only small differences were found in food and beverage consumption between the overweight/ obese and the normal weight children. Possible causes could be the cross sectional nature of this study, which make it difficult to make any definite statements on the 6 causes or causal directions. Cross sectional studies alone are not suitable to define obesity among children. Several longitudinal studies on the area are necessary to determine cause and effect. To get an indication on central obesity which is associated with health risks, waist circumference should be considered as a reference system for the measure of overweight/ obesity in children and adolescents.
Author: Lenn Stian Halvorsen
Language: Norwegian
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W640997365