Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Prevalence and regional distribution of childhood overweight and obesity in Shandong Province, China

  • Original article
  • Published:
World Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

The rising prevalence of childhood obesity was observed in China. This study assessed the prevalence and district distribution of childhood obesity in Shandong Province, China.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the province. A total of 42 275 students (21 222 boys and 21 053 girls) aged 7–18 years from 16 districts participated in this study. Height and body weight of all subjects were measured, and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was obtained according to the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-offs.

Results

In 2010, the prevalence rates of combined overweight and obesity reached 26.86% in urban boys, 18.32% in rural boys, 14.36% in urban girls, and 11.31% in rural girls, respectively. An increasing trend was observed in the prevalence of overweight and obesity from the low socioeconomic status (SES) group to the moderate and high SES groups. The prevalence rates of combined overweight and obesity in the three SES groups were 18.46%, 21.08% and 27.31% in boys and 10.43%, 12.42% and 15.18% in girls, respectively.

Conclusions

There is a high level of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in Shandong Province, China. The distribution of childhood obesity is positively associated with the regional SES.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Popkin BM, Doak CM. The obesity epidemic is a worldwide phenomenon. Nutr Rev 1998;56:106–114.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Wang Y, Lobstein T. Worldwide trends in childhood overweight and obesity. Int J Pediatr Obes 2006;1:11–25.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Lobstein T. Obesity in children and young people: a crisis in public health. Obes Rev 2004;5(Suppl 1):4–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Ji CY, Cheng TO. Epidemic increase in overweight and obesity in Chinese children from 1985 to 2005. Int J Cardiol 2009;132:1–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Zhang YX, Wang SR. Distribution of body mass index and the prevalence changes of overweight and obesity among adolescents in Shandong, China from 1985 to 2005. Ann Hum Biol 2008;35:547–555.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Liou TH, Huang YC, Chou P. Prevalence and secular trends in overweight and obese Taiwanese children and adolescents in 1991–2003. Ann Hum Biol 2009;36:176–185.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Chan C. Childhood obesity and adverse health effects in Hong Kong. Obes Rev 2008;9(Suppl 1):87–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Ji CY, Cheng TO. Prevalence and geographic distribution of childhood obesity in China in 2005. Int J Cardiol 2008;131:1–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Cameron N. The methods of auxological anthropometry. In: Falkner F, Tanner JM, eds. Vol. 2. Human growth, 1st ed. New York: Plenum Press, 1978:35–90.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Cole TJ, Bellizzi MC, Flegal KM, Dietz WH. Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international study. BMJ 2000;320:1240–1243.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Janssen I, Katzmarzyk PT, Boyce WF, Vereecken C, Mulvihill C, Roberts C, et al. Comparison of overweight and obesity prevalence in school-aged youth from 34 countries and their relationships with physical activity and dietary patterns. Obes Rev 2005;6:123–132.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Livingstone BL. Epidemiology of childhood obesity in Europe. Eur J Pediatr 2000;159(Suppl 1):S14–34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Mclaren L. Socioeconomic status and obesity. Epidemiol Rev 2007;29:29–48.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Oliver LN, Hayes MV. Neighbourhood socio-economic status and the prevalence of overweight Canadian children and youth. Can J Public Health 2005;96:415–420.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Janssen I, Boyce WF, Simpson K, Pickett W. Influence of individual and area-level measures of socioeconomic status on obesity, unhealthy eating, and physical inactivity in Canadian adolescents. Am J Clin Nutr 2006;83:139–145.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Nelson MC, Gordon-Larsen P, Song Y, Popkin BM. Built and social environments associations with adolescent overweight and activity. Am J Prev Med 2006;31:109–117.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Shrewsbury V, Wardle J. Socioeconomic status and adiposity in childhood: a systematic review of cross-sectional studies 1990–2005. Obesity 2008;16:275–284.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Lovasi GS, Hutson MA, Guerra M, Neckerman KM. Built environments and obesity in disadvantaged populations. Epidemiol Rev 2009;31:7–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Singh GK, Siahpush M, Kogan MD. Rising social inequalities in US childhood obesity, 2003–2007. Ann Epidemiol 2010;20:40–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Julia M, van Weissenbruch MM, de Waal HA, Surjono A. Influence of socioeconomic status on the prevalence of stunted growth and obesity in prepubertal Indonesian children. Food Nutr Bull 2004;25:354–360.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Arteaga H, Dos Santos JE, Dutra de Oliveira JE. Obesity among schoolchildren of different socioeconomic levels in a developing country. Int J Obes 1982;6:291–297.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Davis AM, Bennett KJ, Befort C, Nollen N. Obesity and related health behaviors among urban and rural children in the United States: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2004 and 2005–2006. J Pediatr Psychol 2011;36:669–676.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Bertoncello C, Cazzaro R, Ferraresso A, Mazzer R, Moretti G. Prevalence of overweight and obesity among school-aged children in urban, rural and mountain areas of the Veneto Region, Italy. Public Health Nutr 2008;11:887–890.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Mohan B, Kumar N, Aslam N, Rangbulla A, Kumbkarni S, Sood NK, et al. Prevalence of sustained hypertension and obesity in urban and rural school going children in Ludhiana. Indian Heart J 2004;56:310–314.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Liu AL, Li YP, Cui CH, Hu XQ, Luan DC, Ma GS. Analysis on average time of physical activity in a school day among Chinese students. Chin J School Health 2006;27:473–475. [In Chinese]

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Shandong Provincial Bureau of Statistics. Shandong Statistical Yearbook 2010. Beijing: China Statistics Press, 2010:298–315. [In Chinese]

    Google Scholar 

  27. Zhang YX. Physical activity attitude and the related daily schedule among students in Shandong. Chin J Sch Health 2008;29:124–126. [In Chinese]

    Google Scholar 

  28. Du SF, Lv B, Wang ZH, Zhai FY. Transition of dietary pattern in China. J Hyg Res 2001;30:221–225. [In Chinese]

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Zhai FY, Yang XG. Report on national survey of nutrition and health status in 2002: diet and nutrient intake status. Beijing: People’s Health Press, 2006:23–27. [In Chinese]

    Google Scholar 

  30. Zhou JY, Zhang JL. Dietary nutrition and health status of Shandong population. Jinan: Shandong Electronic Audio & Video Publishing House, 2008:10–32. [In Chinese]

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, China

    Ying-Xiu Zhang

  2. Shandong Blood Center, Jinan, China

    Shu-Rong Wang

  3. Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 16992 Jingshi Road, Jinan, 250014, China

    Ying-Xiu Zhang

Authors
  1. Ying-Xiu Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shu-Rong Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ying-Xiu Zhang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhang, YX., Wang, SR. Prevalence and regional distribution of childhood overweight and obesity in Shandong Province, China. World J Pediatr 9, 135–139 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-012-0392-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-012-0392-y

Key words

Search

Navigation