Diet and lifesyle of a cohort of primary school children


Submitted: 18 November 2014
Accepted: 18 November 2014
Published: 30 April 2012
Abstract Views: 1061
PDF: 1112
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Authors

  • E. Caputo Pediatria Universitaria, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi “Magna Graecia” di Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
  • V. Talarico Pediatria Universitaria, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi “Magna Graecia” di Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
  • F. Mattace Comitato italiano Paraolimpico, Roma, Italy.
  • L. Giancotti Pediatria Universitaria, Università degli Studi “Magna graecia” di Catanzaro, referente “Centro regionale per la Malattia Celiaca”, Regione Calabria, Italy.
  • E. Anastasio Pediatria Universitaria Università degli Studi “Magna graecia” di Catanzaro, responsabile “Allergologia Pediatrica”, Italy.
  • M. Baserga Pediatria Universitaria, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi “Magna Graecia” di Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
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.

Caputo, E., Talarico, V., Mattace, F., Giancotti, L., Anastasio, E., & Baserga, M. (2012). Diet and lifesyle of a cohort of primary school children. La Pediatria Medica E Chirurgica, 34(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/pmc.2012.65

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations