Background

Excess weight and obesity in childhood is directly related to comorbidities that can have serious consequences for health. This study set out to identify the main modifiable lifestyles that influence the development of excess weight and obesity in childhood.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out at seven secondary schools in Area V, Murcia, Spain. Questionnaires completed by parents were used to gather information about healthy habits in adolescents (ENHASA), The surveys consisted of four dimensions made up of modifiable lifestyle factors: nutrition, physical activity, new technologies and schoolmates. The adolescents’ somatometric data was measured and classified according to the WHO categories for body mass index (BMI). ANOVA was used to compare the score differences among the BMI groups.

Results

The questionnaire was completed by the parents of 421 adolescents with an average age of 12 years. 21.1% presented excess weight and 19.7% obesity. The score obtained by adolescents in the physical activity dimension decreased in the increased BMI group (score in normal weight 6.36 vs. 4.45 in obesity; p<0.001). The other three dimensions showed insignificant differences in scores between normal weight and obesity groups.

Conclusion

Excess weight was present in 40.8% of the sample. Physical activity was the modifiable lifestyle to be most markedly linked to BMI. This outcome may help in planning specific strategies for sedentary lifestyles to reduce this dietary epidemic.