Trends in overweight and obesity prevalence among school-aged children in Slovakia, from 2006 to 2014

Abstract

Objectives: The study analyses trends of overweight and obesity among Slovak adolescents aged 11, 13 and 15 years from 2006 to 2014. Methods: The study employs data from the Health Behaviour in School Aged Children study collected in 2006, 2010 and 2014 in Slovakia. We analysed the data from the representative sample of 10,615 adolescents. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated based on the selfreported weight and height. WHO Child Growth Standards were used to categorise age and gender specific BMI cut-off points as normal weight, overweight and obese. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity among Slovak adolescents from 2006 to 2014 ranged between 2.0% (11-year old girls in 2006) and 15.9% (15-year old boys in 2010). It increased significantly from 2006 to 2010 in almost all subgroups, except in 11-year old girls. 13 and 15-year old boys dominated above girls in all three surveys.Conclusions: The remarkable increase of overweight and obesity in Slovak adolescents can be associated with a simultaneous decline of physical activity. We assume these changes reflect the expansion of screen-based activities, namely information technologies. These changes highlight a need for effective preventive measures focused on adolescents.