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.
© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.