Introduction

While the prevalence of overweight and obesity is pervasive in adults and children in Mexico, differences and relationships among children and their mothers from different ethnic groups, educational systems, and environmental settings in Mexico is understudied. Objective: The present study tested the relationship between Maternal Body Mass Index (MBMI) and Children’s Z-score Body Mass Index for Age (ZBFA) from indigenous, private, public and CONAFE (community schools in marginalized rural areas) schools representing four distinct educational systems in Hidalgo, Mexico.

Material and Methods

A survey-type study was carried out in a random sample of school children and their mothers. The weight and height of the children and their mothers was evaluated with standardize anthropometric techniques. Mothers’ and children’s scores were evaluated following the recommendations by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Results

Prevalence of overweight was very high in mothers (55.8%), without significant differences in MBMI across the four different educational systems. Children from private schools showed higher Body Mass Index, being the girls with the highest scores. Our initial model only included MBMI and Children’s ZBFA, this relationship provided us with a model that explained only 7% of the variance. However, when school type was added as covariate in models for boys and girls, the explained variance increased (17% and 33% respectively).

Conclusions

It was found evidence of a low relationship between Maternal Body Mass Index and Child Body Mass Index. This relationship was stronger when the type of school was added as a covariate. The evidence revealed differences between the environment of rural and urban schools, between mestizo populations and indigenous groups.

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