Trends and correlates of obesity in Czech adolescents in relation to family socioeconomic status between 2002–2018

Czech version

Authors: E. Sigmund ¹; P. Baďura ^1,2; D. Sigmundová ¹; J. Pavelka ²; J. Voráčová ³; V. Hobza JR. ²; J. Zacpal ⁴; Z. Hamřík ²; Z. Půžová ²; M. Kalman ²
Authors‘ workplace: Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci, Fakulta tělesné kultury, Institut aktivního životního stylu, Vedoucí: prof. PhDr. Karel Frömel, DrSc. ¹; Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci, Fakulta tělesné kultury, Katedra rekreologie, Vedoucí: Mgr. Zdeněk Hamřík, Ph. D. ²; Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci, Fakulta tělesné kultury, Katedra společenských věd v kinantropologii, Vedoucí: doc. PhDr. Zbyněk Svozil, Ph. D. ³; Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci, Přírodovědecká fakulta, Katedra informatiky, Vedoucí: prof. RNDr. Radim Bělohlávek, DSc. ⁴
Published in: Prakt. Lék. 2019; 99(4): 147-153
Category: Of different specialties

Overview

Objective: The main objective of the study is to analyze time trends in obesity of the Czech adolescents between 2002 and 2018 with regard to socioeconomic status (SES) of adolescent families and to find SES-mediated correlates of adolescents’ obesity.

Methods: A nationally representative sample of 29,879 adolescents (49.6% boys) aged 10.5–16.5 years was drawn from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children cross-sectional, self-reported questionnaire surveys conducted in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 in the Czech Republic. Using the Family Affluence Scale, the SES of respondents’ families was calculated as low, medium and high. Obesity was represented by > 97% on the age-differentiated World Health Organization Percentile Body Mass Index charts. The chi-square tests were performed to assess differences in prevalence of obesity in each gender and SES categories of adolescents between 2002 and 2018. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used for examining the correlates of adolescents’ obesity in 2018 data collection.

Results: Across the quadrennial surveys 2002–2018, we observed a clear increase in prevalence of obesity in all SES categories of adolescents, which was most striking (p < 0.05) in boys (+7.5 percent points (p.p.): 4.5%₂₀₀₂ → 12.0%₂₀₁₈) and girls (+2.4 p.p.: 2.7%₂₀₀₂ → 5.1%₂₀₁₈) of low SES. Comparing all the survey cycles, the highest prevalence of obesity was evident in the low SES adolescents in 2018 both in girls and boys. The lower odds of obesity were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with regular vigorous physical activity, participation in organized sport, and daily consumption of sweets irrespective of SES of adolescent families. However, the lowest proportion of participants in organized sports and adolescents engaged in vigorous physical activity regularly is in the low SES category.

Conclusions: An unreasonable increase in prevalence of obesity in adolescents with low SES suggests that national health-related and sports programs have the least impact on adolescents from low SES families. The findings are highly relevant to policy makers involved in obesity prevention programs and highlight the need for more accurate targeting of interventions on children and adolescents with low SES background.

Keywords:

obesity – Physical activity – HBSC study – socioeconomic status – Eating habits

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