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- Lind, Lars, et al.
(author)
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Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC)
- 2021
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In: eLife. - : eLife Sciences Publications Ltd. - 2050-084X. ; 10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- From 1985 to 2016, the prevalence of underweight decreased, and that of obesity and severe obesity increased, in most regions, with significant variation in the magnitude of these changes across regions. We investigated how much change in mean body mass index (BMI) explains changes in the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and severe obesity in different regions using data from 2896 population-based studies with 187 million participants. Changes in the prevalence of underweight and total obesity, and to a lesser extent severe obesity, are largely driven by shifts in the distribution of BMI, with smaller contributions from changes in the shape of the distribution. In East and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the underweight tail of the BMI distribution was left behind as the distribution shifted. There is a need for policies that address all forms of malnutrition by making healthy foods accessible and affordable, while restricting unhealthy foods through fiscal and regulatory restrictions.
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- Bixby, H., et al.
(author)
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Rising rural body-mass index is the main driver of the global obesity epidemic in adults
- 2019
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 569:7755, s. 260-4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Body-mass index (BMI) has increased steadily in most countries in parallel with a rise in the proportion of the population who live in cities(.)(1,2) This has led to a widely reported view that urbanization is one of the most important drivers of the global rise in obesity(3-6). Here we use 2,009 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight in more than 112 million adults, to report national, regional and global trends in mean BMI segregated by place of residence (a rural or urban area) from 1985 to 2017. We show that, contrary to the dominant paradigm, more than 55% of the global rise in mean BMI from 1985 to 2017-and more than 80% in some low- and middle-income regions-was due to increases in BMI in rural areas. This large contribution stems from the fact that, with the exception of women in sub-Saharan Africa, BMI is increasing at the same rate or faster in rural areas than in cities in low- and middle-income regions. These trends have in turn resulted in a closing-and in some countries reversal-of the gap in BMI between urban and rural areas in low- and middle-income countries, especially for women. In high-income and industrialized countries, we noted a persistently higher rural BMI, especially for women. There is an urgent need for an integrated approach to rural nutrition that enhances financial and physical access to healthy foods, to avoid replacing the rural undernutrition disadvantage in poor countries with a more general malnutrition disadvantage that entails excessive consumption of low-quality calories.
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- Mishra, A, et al.
(author)
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Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents' growth and development
- 2023
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 615:7954, s. 874-883
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being1–6. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas was <1.1 kg m–2 in the vast majority of countries. Within this small range, BMI increased slightly more in cities than in rural areas, except in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in central and eastern Europe. Our results show that in much of the world, the growth and developmental advantages of living in cities have diminished in the twenty-first century, whereas in much of sub-Saharan Africa they have amplified.
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- Wijnhoven, T. M. A., et al.
(author)
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WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative 2008: weight, height and body mass index in 6-9-year-old children
- 2013
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In: Pediatric Obesity. - : Wiley. - 2047-6310 .- 2047-6302. ; 8:2, s. 79-97
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Nutritional surveillance in school-age children, using measured weight and height, is not common in the European Region of the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO Regional Office for Europe has therefore initiated the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative. Objective To present the anthropometric results of data collected in 2007/2008 and to investigate whether there exist differences across countries and between the sexes. Methods Weight and height were measured in 69-year-old children in 12 countries. Prevalence of overweight, obesity, stunting, thinness and underweight as well as mean Z-scores of anthropometric indices of height, weight and body mass index were calculated. Results A total of 168832 children were included in the analyses and a school participation rate of more than 95% was obtained in 8 out of 12 countries. Stunting, underweight and thinness were rarely prevalent. However, 19.349.0% of boys and 18.442.5% of girls were overweight (including obesity and based on the 2007 WHO growth reference).The prevalence of obesity ranged from 6.0 to 26.6% among boys and from 4.6 to 17.3% among girls. Multi-country comparisons suggest the presence of a northsouth gradient with the highest level of overweight found in southern European countries. Conclusions Overweight among 69-year-old children is a serious public health concern and its variation across the European Region highly depends on the country. Comparable monitoring of child growth is possible across Europe and should be emphasized in national policies and implemented as part of action plans.
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- Lissner, Lauren, 1956, et al.
(author)
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Statement by Members of the Task Force on Prevention and Public Health of the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO)
- 2009
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In: Obesity Facts. - 1662-4025. ; 2:1, s. 54-55
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This document is signed by all members of the task force, who will contribute knowledge on the problem of obesity in the various regions of Europe. It is apparent from the wide range of available prevalence estimates that the magnitude of the obesity epidemic varies across Europe. However certain similarities are present, including consistent but varying increases in prevalence in all countries from the end of the 20th century to the present, together with clear inverse socioeconomic gradients. The lack of harmonized surveillance efforts across Europe makes international monitoring and comparative assessments imprecise at best. A particularly worrisome aspect of this epidemic is the recently observed increase in the proportion of European children with overweight and obesity. The Task Force is in agreement that the epidemic reflects changing lifestyles and environments and that prevention can only be achieved by identifying and arresting these trends, a statement that has been repeated by many groups advocating obesity prevention over the years. For instance, in 1999 the Milan Declaration was made on behalf of all members of the EASO, resolving to support the development of coherent national and Europe-wide strategies for the prevention and management of overweight and obesity. Since then, there have been recent steps to develop a public health strategy for obesity prevention across Europe, including most notably the 2006 European Ministerial Conference on Counteracting Obesity in the European Region. At that time, all member states of WHO Europe met in Istanbul and explicitly agreed on an ecological approach to fighting the obesity epidemic, with a charter recognizing that counteracting obesity requires a multidisciplinary effort with a timeline for improvements (www.euro.who.int/ document/E89567.pdf). In this context, the vision of our Task Force is to provide guidance and leadership to researchers, governments, and agencies that are trying to fulfill the charter developed in Istanbul and other recent initiatives. Specifically, we will support and strengthen research and interventions to improve prevention of obesity across Europe, within the framework of the EASO.
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- Wijnhoven, T, et al.
(author)
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WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative: Impact of Type of Clothing Worn during Anthropometric Measurements and Timing of the Survey on Weight and Body Mass Index Outcome Measures in 6–9-Year-Old Children
- 2016
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In: Epidemiology Research International. - : Hindawi Limited. - 2090-2972 .- 2090-2980. ; 2016, s. 1-16
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background. The World Health Organization European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) conducted examinations in 6–9-year-old children from 16 countries in the first two rounds of data collection. Allowing participating countries to adhere to their local legal requirements or adapt to other circumstances required developing a flexible protocol for anthropometric procedures. Objectives. (1) Review intercountry variation in types of clothing worn by children during weight and height measurements, clothes weight adjustments applied, timing of the survey, and duration of data collection; (2) assess the impact of the observed variation in these practices on the children’s weight or body mass index (BMI) outcome measures. Results. The relative difference between countries’ unadjusted and clothes-adjusted prevalence estimates for overweight was 0.3–11.5%; this figure was 1.4–33.3% for BMI-for-age Z-score values. Monthly fluctuations in mean BMI-for-age Z-score values did not show a systematic seasonal effect. The majority of the monthly BMI-for-age Z-score values did not differ statistically within a country; only 1–3 monthly values were statistically different within some countries. Conclusions. The findings of the present study suggest that the built-in flexibility in the COSI protocol concerning the data collection practices addressed in the paper can be kept and thus do not necessitate a revision of the COSI protocol.
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- Bornhorst, C., et al.
(author)
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WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative: associations between sleep duration, screen time and food consumption frequencies
- 2015
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In: Bmc Public Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 15:442
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Both sleep duration and screen time have been suggested to affect children's diet, although in different directions and presumably through different pathways. The present cross-sectional study aimed to simultaneously investigate the associations between sleep duration, screen time and food consumption frequencies in children. Methods: The analysis was based on 10 453 children aged 6-9 years from five European countries that participated in the World Health Organization European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative. Logistic multilevel models were used to assess associations of parent-reported screen time as well as sleep duration (exposure variables) with consumption frequencies of 16 food items (outcome variables). All models were adjusted for age, sex, outdoor play time, maximum educational level of parents and sleep duration or screen time, depending on the exposure under investigation. Results: One additional hour of screen time was associated with increased consumption frequencies of 'soft drinks containing sugar' (1.28 [1.19; 1.39]; odds ratio and 99% confidence interval), 'diet/light soft drinks' (1.21 [1.14; 1.29]), 'flavoured milk' (1.18 [1.08; 1.28]), 'candy bars or chocolate' (1.31 [1.22; 1.40]), 'biscuits, cakes, doughnuts or pies' (1.22 [1.14; 1.30]), 'potato chips (crisps), corn chips, popcorn or peanuts' (1.32 [1.20; 1.45]), 'pizza, French fries (chips), hamburgers' (1.30 [1.18; 1.43]) and with a reduced consumption frequency of 'vegetables (excluding potatoes)' (0.89 [0.83; 0.95]) and 'fresh fruits' (0.91 [0.86; 0.97]). Conversely, one additional hour of sleep duration was found to be associated with increased consumption frequencies of 'fresh fruits' (1.11 [1.04; 1.18]) and 'vegetables (excluding potatoes)' (1.14 [1.07; 1.23]). Conclusion: The results suggest a potential relation between high screen time exposure and increased consumption frequencies of foods high in fat, free sugar or salt whereas long sleep duration may favourably be related to children's food choices. Both screen time and sleep duration are modifiable behaviours that may be tackled in childhood obesity prevention efforts.
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- Lissner, Lauren, 1956, et al.
(author)
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Socioeconomic inequalities in childhood overweight : heterogeneity across five countries in the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI-2008)
- 2016
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In: International Journal of Obesity. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 0307-0565 .- 1476-5497. ; 40:5, s. 796-802
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Excess risk of childhood overweight and obesity occurring in socioeconomically disadvantaged families has been demonstrated in numerous studies from high-income regions, including Europe. It is well known that socioeconomic characteristics such as parental education, income and occupation are etiologically relevant to childhood obesity. However, in the pan-European setting, there is reason to believe that inequalities in childhood weight status may vary among countries as a function of differing degrees of socioeconomic development and equity.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we have examined socioeconomic differences in childhood obesity in different parts of the European region using nationally representative data from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Portugal and Sweden that were collected in 2008 during the first round of the World Health Organization ( WHO) European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative.RESULTS: Heterogeneity in the association between parental socioeconomic indicators and childhood overweight or obesity was clearly observed across the five countries studied. Positive as well as negative associations were observed between parental socioeconomic indicators and childhood overweight, with statistically significant interactions between country and parental indicators.CONCLUSIONS: These findings have public health implications for the WHO European Region and underscore the necessity to continue documenting socioeconomic inequalities in obesity in all countries through international surveillance efforts in countries with diverse geographic, social and economic environments. This is a prerequisite for universal as well as targeted preventive actions.
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- Wjnhoven, TMA, et al.
(author)
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WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative: School nutrition environment and body mass index in primary schools.
- 2014
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In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI AG. - 1660-4601 .- 1661-7827. ; 2014:11, s. 11261-11285
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Schools are important settings for the promotion of a healthy diet and sufficient physical activity and thus overweight prevention. OBJECTIVE: To assess differences in school nutrition environment and body mass index (BMI) in primary schools between and within 12 European countries. METHODS: Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) were used (1831 and 2045 schools in 2007/2008 and 2009/2010, respectively). School personnel provided information on 18 school environmental characteristics on nutrition and physical activity. A school nutrition environment score was calculated using five nutrition-related characteristics whereby higher scores correspond to higher support for a healthy school nutrition environment. Trained field workers measured children's weight and height; BMI-for-age (BMI/A) Z-scores were computed using the 2007 WHO growth reference and, for each school, the mean of the children's BMI/A Z-scores was calculated. RESULTS: Large between-country differences were found in the availability of food items on the premises (e.g., fresh fruit could be obtained in 12%-95% of schools) and school nutrition environment scores (range: 0.30-0.93). Low-score countries (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania) graded less than three characteristics as supportive. High-score (≥0.70) countries were Ireland, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden. The combined absence of cold drinks containing sugar, sweet snacks and salted snacks were more observed in high-score countries than in low-score countries. Largest within-country school nutrition environment scores were found in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania. All country-level BMI/A Z-scores were positive (range: 0.20-1.02), indicating higher BMI values than the 2007 WHO growth reference. With the exception of Norway and Sweden, a country-specific association between the school nutrition environment score and the school BMI/A Z-score was not observed. CONCLUSIONS: Some European countries have implemented more school policies that are supportive to a healthy nutrition environment than others. However, most countries with low school nutrition environment scores also host schools with supportive school environment policies, suggesting that a uniform school policy to tackle the "unhealthy" school nutrition environment has not been implemented at the same level throughout a country and may underline the need for harmonized school policies.
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- Taxová Braunerová, Radka, et al.
(author)
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Waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio in 7-year-old children : WHO Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative
- 2021
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In: Obesity Reviews. - : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.. - 1467-7881 .- 1467-789X. ; 22:S6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Childhood obesity is a serious global health problem. Waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) reflect body fat distribution in children. The objectives of this study were to assess WC and WHtR in 7-year-old children and to determine body mass index (BMI), WC, and WHtR differences in children from 10 selected countries across Europe (Bulgaria, Czechia, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Norway, Spain, and Sweden) participating in the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). The 50th and 90th percentile of WC (according to COSI and "Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health EFfects In Children and infantS" (IDEFICS) cutoff values) and WHtR above 0.5 were used as measures of abdominal obesity in a unique sample of 38,975 children aged 7.00-7.99 years. Southern European countries, including Greece and Spain, showed significantly higher BMI, WC, and WHtRin both genders (p < 0.0001) than Eastern and Northern Europe. The highest values for WC were observed in Greece (60.8 ± 7.36 cm boys; 60.3 ± 7.48 cm girls), North Macedonia (60.4 ± 7.91 cm boys; 59.0 ± 8.01 cm girls), and Spain (59.7 ± 6.96 cm boys; 58.9 ± 6.77 cm girls). WC and WHtRin may add an information about the occurrence of central obesity in children.
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