Objective:

to identify the associated factors to overweight and obesity in students of high school of an Andean region of northern of Peru.

Methods:

a cross sectional study was performed in a sample of 586 students, residing in two districts of Cajamarca region. We performed the anthropometric evaluation using the standards of child growth of the World Health Organization (using the score z of the body mass index). We applied a structured survey for recollect data of lifestyles, food consumption, physical activity, depressive symptoms questionnaire, bullying and weight perception. We performed a logistic regression was performed to identify associated characteristics.

Results:

the proportion of overweight and obesity was 22.9% and 6.8% of adolescents, respectively. Belonging to public schools was a protective factor for overweight (adjusted OR: 0.62, CI 95%: 0.39 to 0.99) regardless of gender, physical activity and depressive symptoms. Male gender (adjusted OR 2.05, 95% CI: 1.02 to 4.11) and low physical activity (adjusted OR: 4.14, 95% CI: 1.65 to 10.35) were risk factors for obesity, while belonging to public schools was a protective factor (adjusted OR 0.43, 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.92).

Conclusions:

the level of physical activity is the main factor associated with obesity; on the other hand, public school students have less chance of overweight and obesity. Schools represent environments to implement preventive interventions of overweight and obesity based on increased physical activity.

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