Trends in Overweight and Obesity in Czech Schoolchildren from 1998 to 2014

Abstract

Objective: Overweight and obesity in adolescents is associated with many health risks and considerable direct and indirect healthcare costs. The purpose of this study is to examine trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 11-, 13- and 15-year-old adolescents in the Czech Republic from 1998 to 2014.

Methods: Data from five self-reported survey rounds (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014) of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study (HBSC) were used to assess trends in overweight and obesity among Czech adolescents. The total sample consisted of 19,103 adolescents (51.2% girls). A logistic regression analysis was used to assess trends in different age and gender categories.

Results: From 1998 to 2014 a significant increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity was observed among boys in all age categories (11 years old 22.2%₁₉₉₈- 28.3%₂₀₁₄; 13 years old 17.9%₁₉₉₈- 26.7%₂₀₁₄; 15 years old 9.8%₁₉₉₈- 20.8%₂₀₁₄) and among 15-year-old girls (6.0%₁₉₉₈- 10.9%₂₀₁₄). None of the age and gender categories showed an overall decrease over the 16-year period. In boys, the prevalence of overweight was significantly higher with steeper negative trends compared with girls. However, stabilization in overweight rates was observed between 2010 and 2014 in all age and gender groups.

Conclusion: Nationally representative self-reported data show a significant increase in overweight (including obesity) prevalence among children from 1998 to 2014 in the Czech Republic. The results also suggest stabilization in overweight prevalence between 2010 and 2014. Continuing research is needed to determine future trends while interventions aimed at reducing overweight and obesity in children should be implemented on different levels of public policy.

Keywords: HBSC; adolescents; body mass index; prevalence; time trends.