Diet and lifesyle of a cohort of primary school children

Introduction: the obesity is the disease of the new millennium, because it affects about 300 million people in the world, and especially it has a high prevalence in children. obesity is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus type ii, hypertension, problems of adaptat...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: E. Caputo, V. Talarico, F. Mattace, L. Giancotti, E. Anastasio, M. Baserga
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: PAGEPress Publications 2012-04-01
Series:La Pediatria Medica e Chirurgica
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.pediatrmedchir.org/index.php/pmc/article/view/65
id doaj-6b897c06264f4646b5295c2b69411897
record_format Article
spelling doaj-6b897c06264f4646b5295c2b694118972020-11-24T21:52:53ZengPAGEPress PublicationsLa Pediatria Medica e Chirurgica0391-53872420-77482012-04-0134210.4081/pmc.2012.6565Diet and lifesyle of a cohort of primary school childrenE. Caputo0V. Talarico1F. Mattace2L. Giancotti3E. Anastasio4M. Baserga5Pediatria Universitaria, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi “Magna Graecia” di Catanzaro, CatanzaroPediatria Universitaria, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi “Magna Graecia” di Catanzaro, CatanzaroComitato italiano Paraolimpico, RomaPediatria Universitaria, Università degli Studi “Magna graecia” di Catanzaro, referente “Centro regionale per la Malattia Celiaca”, Regione CalabriaPediatria Universitaria Università degli Studi “Magna graecia” di Catanzaro, responsabile “Allergologia Pediatrica”Pediatria Universitaria, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi “Magna Graecia” di Catanzaro, CatanzaroIntroduction: the obesity is the disease of the new millennium, because it affects about 300 million people in the world, and especially it has a high prevalence in children. obesity is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus type ii, hypertension, problems of adaptation and relationship with other, lower self-esteem and depression. Aims: the objective of our study is to identify children at risk of overweight / obesity in order to primary prevention. We have organized meetings with children, families and school’s members where we discussed the results of our investigation about the importance of healthy diet and lifestyle. Patients-Methods: the study was carried out on 545 children (282F, 263M), age 6.-10 years, of two primary schools in Catanzaro, from 2008 to 2010. the valuation parameters were: gender, age, weight, height, blood pressure and waist circumference. to children were also administered a questionnaire about dietary habits and lifestyle. Statistical analysis: Fisher’s test. Results: We had that 62 % of children was normal weight, 27 % overweight, 11 % obese. A particularly relevant datum is that the percentage of overweight-obese boys of 8 and 9 years old was higher (56%) than that of normal weight. We found cases of hypertension only in obese children. 98% of obese, 80% of overweight and 24% of normal weight children had a high waist circumference. We did not find differences in food quality among normal weight and overweight/obese children. instead, we found significant differences in behavior between children: 90% of obese, 64% of overweight and 53% of normal weight children passed more than 2 hours in the afternoon watching television, playing computer and video games. 70% of normal weight, 82% of overweight and 95% of obese children practiced physical activity. Discussion/conclusion: our study shows a alarming fact about the increase of the obesity in children. in particular the most important problem is that this condition could predispose to cardio - metabolic, endocrine, respiratory, musculoskeletal and psychological consequence. So it is important that everybody who lives with children, especially parents and school’s members, educates children to have healthy lifestyles. these attentions may slow the worryng epidemic of obesity.http://www.pediatrmedchir.org/index.php/pmc/article/view/65Obesityhypertensionchildrenmetabolic syndrom
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author E. Caputo
V. Talarico
F. Mattace
L. Giancotti
E. Anastasio
M. Baserga
spellingShingle E. Caputo
V. Talarico
F. Mattace
L. Giancotti
E. Anastasio
M. Baserga
Diet and lifesyle of a cohort of primary school children
La Pediatria Medica e Chirurgica
Obesity
hypertension
children
metabolic syndrom
author_facet E. Caputo
V. Talarico
F. Mattace
L. Giancotti
E. Anastasio
M. Baserga
author_sort E. Caputo
title Diet and lifesyle of a cohort of primary school children
title_short Diet and lifesyle of a cohort of primary school children
title_full Diet and lifesyle of a cohort of primary school children
title_fullStr Diet and lifesyle of a cohort of primary school children
title_full_unstemmed Diet and lifesyle of a cohort of primary school children
title_sort diet and lifesyle of a cohort of primary school children
publisher PAGEPress Publications
series La Pediatria Medica e Chirurgica
issn 0391-5387
2420-7748
publishDate 2012-04-01
description Introduction: the obesity is the disease of the new millennium, because it affects about 300 million people in the world, and especially it has a high prevalence in children. obesity is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus type ii, hypertension, problems of adaptation and relationship with other, lower self-esteem and depression. Aims: the objective of our study is to identify children at risk of overweight / obesity in order to primary prevention. We have organized meetings with children, families and school’s members where we discussed the results of our investigation about the importance of healthy diet and lifestyle. Patients-Methods: the study was carried out on 545 children (282F, 263M), age 6.-10 years, of two primary schools in Catanzaro, from 2008 to 2010. the valuation parameters were: gender, age, weight, height, blood pressure and waist circumference. to children were also administered a questionnaire about dietary habits and lifestyle. Statistical analysis: Fisher’s test. Results: We had that 62 % of children was normal weight, 27 % overweight, 11 % obese. A particularly relevant datum is that the percentage of overweight-obese boys of 8 and 9 years old was higher (56%) than that of normal weight. We found cases of hypertension only in obese children. 98% of obese, 80% of overweight and 24% of normal weight children had a high waist circumference. We did not find differences in food quality among normal weight and overweight/obese children. instead, we found significant differences in behavior between children: 90% of obese, 64% of overweight and 53% of normal weight children passed more than 2 hours in the afternoon watching television, playing computer and video games. 70% of normal weight, 82% of overweight and 95% of obese children practiced physical activity. Discussion/conclusion: our study shows a alarming fact about the increase of the obesity in children. in particular the most important problem is that this condition could predispose to cardio - metabolic, endocrine, respiratory, musculoskeletal and psychological consequence. So it is important that everybody who lives with children, especially parents and school’s members, educates children to have healthy lifestyles. these attentions may slow the worryng epidemic of obesity.
topic Obesity
hypertension
children
metabolic syndrom
url http://www.pediatrmedchir.org/index.php/pmc/article/view/65
work_keys_str_mv AT ecaputo dietandlifesyleofacohortofprimaryschoolchildren
AT vtalarico dietandlifesyleofacohortofprimaryschoolchildren
AT fmattace dietandlifesyleofacohortofprimaryschoolchildren
AT lgiancotti dietandlifesyleofacohortofprimaryschoolchildren
AT eanastasio dietandlifesyleofacohortofprimaryschoolchildren
AT mbaserga dietandlifesyleofacohortofprimaryschoolchildren
_version_ 1725874194484297728