Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift
Volume 129, Issue 21-22, 2017, Pages 786-792

Gender differences and the role of parental education, school types and migration on the body mass index of 2930 Austrian school children: A cross-sectional study (Article)

Furthner D. , Ehrenmüller M. , Biebl A. , Lanzersdorfer R. , Halmerbauer G. , Auer-Hackenberg L. , Schmitt K.*
  • a Med Campus IV, Kepler University Hospital Linz, Krankenhausstraße 26–30, Linz, 4020, Austria
  • b University of Applied Sciences Steyr, Wehrgrabengasse 1, Steyr, 4400, Austria
  • c Med Campus IV, Kepler University Hospital Linz, Krankenhausstraße 26–30, Linz, 4020, Austria
  • d Med Campus IV, Kepler University Hospital Linz, Krankenhausstraße 26–30, Linz, 4020, Austria
  • e University of Applied Sciences Steyr, Wehrgrabengasse 1, Steyr, 4400, Austria
  • f Med Campus IV, Kepler University Hospital Linz, Krankenhausstraße 26–30, Linz, 4020, Austria
  • g Med Campus IV, Kepler University Hospital Linz, Krankenhausstraße 26–30, Linz, 4020, Austria

Abstract

Background: Austria faces increasing numbers of childhood overweight and obesity. Despite increasing numbers of studies, associations between parental body mass index (BMI) and education and the school type on overweight/obesity in students have not been reported. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of these parameters on the genesis of overweight/obesity in a large cohort representative of youth in Upper Austrian. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of data from 2930 children and adolescents aged 10, 14 or 17 years from 11 different state school types was conducted. Students and their parents completed a questionnaire and heights and weights were measured. Results: Of the students 16.9% fulfilled the criteria for overweight and 5.6% for obesity, with the highest rates in the 10-year-olds (19.6% and 5.8%, respectively). While no gender differences were present in the youngest age group, the body mass index (BMI) during adolescence remained higher in boys but decreased significantly in girls. Male gender remained a risk factor through all calculations. Boys were overrepresented in schools with lower education levels and more often had BMIs ≥ 85th and ≥95th percentile. Higher parental education levels and lower parental BMIs were associated with lower BMIs of their offspring. Migration was an additional association factor for BMIs ≥ 85th percentile. Conclusion: Low parental education levels, higher parental BMIs and migration background were associated with overweight and obesity in 10-year-olds. In adolescence, male gender and higher parental BMIs remained risk factors. © 2017, Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria.

Author Keywords

Obesity Parental education Children Parental body mass index school type

Index Keywords

education educational status human sex difference Schools statistics statistics and numerical data obesity Statistics as Topic parental education Austria student school child cross-sectional study Humans Adolescent male female risk factor questionnaire school prevalence Article major clinical study migration sex factor Sex Factors Emigration and Immigration Students body mass Pediatric Obesity Body Mass Index childhood obesity Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85027844855&doi=10.1007%2fs00508-017-1247-2&partnerID=40&md5=2f29347c01cf00ef15aba5c747ad576f
DOI: 10.1007/s00508-017-1247-2
ISSN: 00435325
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English