Paediatria Croatica, Vol. 63 No. 3, 2019.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.13112/PC.2019.23
Results of body mass index measurements in children between 2 and 8 years of age in the Republic of Croatia
Milivoj Jovančević
Dragica Šakić
Vesna Školnik-Popović
Giovana Armano
Sonja Oković
Abstract
The study included data on 144,842 measurements of height and weight in children aged 24-95 months from the primary health care program database. The z values of body mass index were calculated and the results were extrapolated according to standard deviations for age groups of 24-35, 36-47, 48-60, 61-71, 72-83 and 84-95 months. In the 2-5-year age group, the rate of extreme thinness (-3 SD) was 0.4% and of moderate thinness (-2 SD) 2.9% of measurements. The rate of overweight (+2 SD) was 6.6% of measurements, with a significantly increased incidence in the 48-60-month age group (6.9%) and more common in boys. Obesity (+3 SD) was present in 1.9% of measurements in children aged 2-5 years and was significantly more common at the age of 48-60 months (2.3%) and more common in boys within the 48-60-month age group. In the 5-8-year age group, the following rates were recorded: extreme thinness 0.5%, thinness 3.4%, overweight 22.7% and obesity 8.8%. The highest prevalence of all nutrition categories observed was recorded in the oldest age group of 84-95 months. There was no gender difference in the prevalence of extreme malnutrition, while in all other categories a higher prevalence was found in boys than in girls. The high prevalence of overweight (35.1%) in boys aged 84-95 months should be noted. The incidence of overweight and obesity was higher in the coastal area, slightly lower in inland Croatia, and lowest in the City of Zagreb.
Keywords
BODY MASS INDEX; CHILD, PRESCHOOL; CHILD; CROATIA
Hrčak ID:
235634
URI
Publication date:
23.9.2019.
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