Objective
To report the prevalence and factors associated with overweight/obesity in a representative sample of Portuguese adolescents, from three different cohorts.
Methods
Data on 8,610 adolescents aged 11–17, who participated in the 2002, 2006, and 2010 Health Behaviour in School‐aged Children survey (HBSC/WHO) were analyzed. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated based on self‐reported weight/height. Factors investigated as potential correlates of overweight/obesity were as follows: physical activity, screen time, life satisfaction, and perception of health.
Results
The prevalence of overweight/obesity was around 20% for boys and 17% for girls between 2002 and 2010. Among boys, the prevalence of overweight/obesity was negatively associated with age in 2002 (odds ratio, OR = 0.89, P < 0.01), 2006 (OR = 0.92, P < 0.05), and 2010 (OR = 0.91, P < 0.05). Those who engaged in physical activity were less likely to be classified as overweight/obese in 2006 (OR = 0.89, P < 0.01) and 2010 (OR = 0.92, P < 0.05). Among girls, as age increased, the likelihood of being overweight/obese significantly decreased in all years. Results from 2002 (OR = 0.69, P < 0.001) and 2010 (OR = 0.88, P < 0.01) varied by almost 20%.
Conclusion
The prevalence of overweight/obesity is still high, but seems to have stabilized. Physical activity, for boys, and perception of health, for girls, are factors associated with a lower likelihood of being overweight or obese. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:844–849, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.