Ana Rito
National Institute of Health, Portugal
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Primary Health Care
Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI)/WHO Europe has been established to monitor changes in overweight in primary-school children. Portugal and other European countries have participated in 3 rounds, since 2008. Here it is presented the nutritional status of Portuguese children and other from 12 countries: Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Slovenia, Spain and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, from school years 2009/2010 (round 2). It is also explored changes in overweight among children between rounds 1 and 2 of the COSI study, using cross-sectional nationally representative samples of 6ïÂ?Â9-year-olds. In Portugal, 3765 children were enrolled from 181 primary schools in 2008 and 4020 children from 172 schools in 2010. At Round 1 and 2, the prevalence of overweight (including obesity; WHO definitions) was higher in Southern European countries: Portugal (36.2% girls 7y), Italy (44.8% boys 8y), Greece (48.9% boys 7y) and Spain (44.6% boys 7y). Between rounds, the highest significant decrease in overweight prevalence was observed in Italy, Portugal and Slovenia and the highest significant increase in Latvia and Norway. Overall prevalence of overweight varied significantly among countries, with a decreased in Southern Europe, suggesting that active implementation of policies or interventions to counteract overweight and obesity have been triggered more by the countries with higher values.
Email: ana.i.rito@gmail.com
