ESPE Abstracts (2016) 86 P-P2-512

aPediatrics Hospital San Agustín, Aviles, Spain; bCiber de Epidemiologia y Salud Pública, CIBERESP, Spain; cMedicina Preventiva, Universidad Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain


Background: Prevalence of childhood obesity represents a major public health concern, given the tracking of body weight from childhood to adult age and its health sequelae.

Objective: To describe prevalence of overweight (OW) and obesity (OB) in children at 8 years and investigate the relationship with pre-pregnancy maternal weight and weight status at 4 years.

Methods: 485 pregnant mothers recruited between 2004 and 2007 and 409 children from a population-based cohort study. Research protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee. We analysed maternal BMI, BMI at 4 and 8 years and prevalence of OW/OB according to IOTF. At 8 years, we also measured waist circumference and body composition (by electrical bioimpedance).

Results: 319 (169 boys) were studied, aged (mean (S.D.)) 8.26 (0.28) years. Table 1 shows anthropometric characteristic for the total and by sex. 4.6% mothers were underweight (BMI less than 18.5 kg/m2), 68.8% normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m2), 18.7% had OW (BMI 25–29.9 kg/m2) and 7.9% OB (BMI equal or more than 30 kg/m2). 20.2% children had OW or OB at 4 years. At 8 years, one to three children had OW or OB. There is positive relation between pre-pregnancy BMI and BMI at 4 and 8 years (P-trend <0.001).

Table 1.
Boys N (%)Girls N (%)Total N (%)
BMI Normal118 (69.8)97 (64.7)215 (67.4)
Overweight37 (21.9)38 (25.3)75 (23.5)
Obesity14 (8.3)15 (10.0)29 (9.1)
Waist circumference<P90134 (79.3)96 (64.0)230 (72.1)
>=P9035 (20.7) 54 (36.0)89 (27.9)
Waist circumference/ Height Normal44 (26.0)28 (18.7)72 (22.6)
Overweight77 (45.6)58 (38.7)135 (42.3)
Obesity48 (28.4)64 (42.7)112 (35.1)
% Body fat <25%105 (70.5)90 (66.7)195 (68.7)
>=25%44 (29.5)45 (33.3)89 (31.3)

Conclusion: High prevalence of overweight and obesity at 8 years were found, even more that at 4 years. There is a positive correlation between offspring’s weight status and pre-pregnancy maternal weight. Childhood obesity prevention should be started from pregnancy and infancy.

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