Obesity increase among low SES Australian schoolchildren between 2000 and 2006: time for preventive interventions to target children from low income schools?

Abstract

Objectives: To examine change from 2000 to 2006 in obesity and overweight by gender, school year and school socioeconomic status (SES) in a national sample of students from Australia.

Methods: Survey of students aged 6-18 years from the same 32 schools in 2000 (N = 3,819) and 2006 (N = 5,524) with measured height and weight. All analyses were adjusted for the cluster survey design. Main outcome measures were height, weight, Z-score distribution of BMI, overweight and obesity [International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-offs], school SES.

Results: Obesity and overweight were similar to previous Australian findings with 5.2% and 6.1% obese in 2000 and 2006, respectively, and 16.3 and 19.0% overweight. Significant increase in obesity was observed in students from low SES schools which increased from 5.8 to 8.6% (P < 0.05) compared to 5.5 to 6.3% (P = 0.32) in middle SES and 3.3 to 4.2% (P = 0.92) in high SES schools.

Conclusions: Obesity increased significantly among children in low SES schools and preventive efforts should urgently and carefully target preventive efforts to assist schools, families and communities which are socially and economically, disadvantaged using culturally appropriate physical activity and nutrition promotion interventions.