Overweight/Obesity Prevalence, Anthropometric Evolution and Related Factors in Adolescents at Middle Schools of Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Abstract

Background: Adult cardiovascular risk begins in many cases overweight - obesity in adolescence, making it necessary to have epidemiological information and local anthropometric dynamics. Objective: To determine the overweight/obesty prevalence, anthropometric evolution and related factors among adolescents registered at middle schools, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 2010- June 2011. Methods: Longitudinal descriptive study that included 344 randomized adolescents of middle schools. First anthropometric measurement and survey was carried out (n1) and one year later, was carried out a second anthropometric measurement (n2). Index of Corporal Mass was used (IMC) for nutritional categorization. To evaluate related factors to overweight/obesity, we used OR and CI95% and a p value 0.05 was considered as a difference statistically significant. Results: A total n1=344 and n2=221 adolescents were evaluated. Average age was 14.4 years (SD 1.8, Range 12-18), female 59.9% (206), male 40.1% (138); prevalence of obesity at first measurement was 19.2% (66/344, IC95% 14.9-23.5) and one year later was 18.5% (41/221, IC95% 13.2-23.9), with 5% annual increase of new obese. The factors cared by a domestic employee (OR 3.3 CI95% 1.7-6.5, p=0.0004) and have tried to lose weight by dieting during the last 12 months (OR 4.5 CI95% 2.4-8.3, p<0.0001) were significantly associated to overweight/obesity. Discussion: The adolescent’s nutritional profile registered at middle schools has particularities characteristic of the country, as well as the factors related with overweight/obesity, although the prevalence of 19.2% is similar to those reported in the worldwide for this age group.