Prevalence and characteristics of overweight and obesity among Chinese youth aged 12–18 years: a multistage nationwide survey

Abstract

ObjectiveThe aims of the current study were to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity by four different references and to explore the characteristics of adolescent overweight and obesity in Chinese secondary school students aged 12–18 years. Study designA cross-sectional study was conducted in this study. MethodsUsing stratified random cluster sampling, 8999 secondary school students were enrolled. The references developed by Must and Dallal and Dietz, the Childhood Obesity Working Group of the International Obesity Task Force, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Group of China Obesity Task Force (GCOTF reference) were used to identify overweight and obese students. ResultsThe prevalence of adolescent overweight and obesity vary substantially based on the four references. The prevalence of adolescent overweight and obesity based on GCOTF reference are 8.4% and 4.1%, respectively, which is significantly lower than the prevalence of overweight and obesity in their peers in 2000 (χ2 = 24.03, P < 0.01). The prevalence of overweight and obesity in boys are 12.0% and 5.7%, which are higher than those in girls, 4.6% and 5.7% (χ2 = 240.68, P < 0.01). The prevalence of overweight and obesity in singletons are higher than those in non-singletons (χ2 = 40.25, P < 0.01). The prevalence of overweight and obesity in students with lower school community ladder of subjective social status are higher than those from higher ones (χ2 = 21.61, P < 0.01). ConclusionThe GCOTF reference is more suitable for screening overweight and obesity in Chinese adolescents. The current prevalence rates of adolescent overweight and obesity decreased, and girls made a tremendous contribution to this decreasing trend. Singletons and adolescents in lower school community ladder of subjective socio-economic status may be at higher risk of getting overweight and obesity. More effective strategies with full consideration to the characteristics above should be developed to control and prevent adolescent overweight and obesity.