Irish Child Health Database - Peer Reviewed Papers
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Overweight and obesity in Irish primary schools: retrospective cohort study
Published in:
Child Care Health Dev, Vol: 31, Page: 499-506
Publication Date:
September 2005
Aims & Objectives:
The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of using established methods and routinely generated data from the statutory primary school health-screening programme to estimate prevalence rates for overweight and obesity in children
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: This retrospective cohort study investigates the feasibility of using established methods and routinely generated data from the statutory primary school health-screening programme to estimate prevalence rates for childhood overweight and obesity in children from a rural area in the Republic of Ireland (ROI). METHOD: Paper-based records in the primary school health service for County Leitrim and parts of County Cavan in north-west of ROI were hand searched to identify children attending senior infant classes during academic year 2001/2002. Electronic calculation of body mass index (BMI) and age at examination was carried out. Application of age- and sex-specific cut-off points from International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and United Kingdom (UK) standard definitions for childhood overweight and obesity was used to determine age- and sex-specific prevalence rates for childhood overweight and obesity. RESULTS: The eligible cohort was almost completely identified and consisted of 361 children. Weight and height measurements were available on 328 (91%) children aged between 4.22 and 7.92 years. IOTF standard application gave prevalence rates of 25% for obesity and overweight in boys and 26% in girls. With the UK growth standard, this increased to 34% in boys and reduced to 23% in girls. CONCLUSION: It is feasible to generate prevalence rates for childhood overweight and obesity from data routinely obtained through the statutory school health-screening programme in ROI. This study suggests levels of childhood overweight and obesity comparable to other Western societies. Further research on developing a universally accepted standard definition of childhood overweight and obesity is required.
Authors:
Study Type:
Study Papers » Case Study » Descriptive Studies - Without a comparision
Categories:
overweight; obesity
International Classification:
Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic disease - Obesity and other hyperalimentation - overweight and obese
Keywords:
- Body Height/physiology
- Body Mass Index
- Body Weight/physiology
- Child
- Child, Preschool
- Cohort Studies
- Feasibility Studies
- Female
- Humans
- Ireland/epidemiology
- Male
- Mass Screening/methods
- Obesity/ epidemiology
- Prevalence
- Retrospective Studies
- Rural Health
- School Health Services
- Sex Distribution
Geography:
Republic of Ireland (North-west ROI)