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Childhood obesity: an estimate of prevalence in Canada and an analysis of associated factors Limbert, Joanne Marie
Abstract
Childhood obesity is a complex, multifaceted problem with genetic, biochemical, physiological and environmental components. A first step in determining appropriate treatment and prevention strategies for childhood obesity is an epidemiological diagnosis. Accordingly, the objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of childhood obesity in Canada using available data from two National surveys (Canada Fitness Survey, 1981 and Campbell's Survey on Well-being in Canada, 1988) and to determine if significant differences existed between the obese children (OC) and the non-obese children (NOC) with respect to specific lifestyle, physical and psychological factors as well as attitudes and goals concerning physical activity. In addition, parental data was analyzed to determine if significant differences existed between the parents and their children with regards to these same factors. Using the age and sex specific 85th percentile of the sum of 5 skinfolds from the Canada Fitness Survey as the criteria for obesity, the prevalence of obesity among children aged 7 to 12 years was shown to have risen from 15.4% in 1981 to 23.9% in 1988. This increase was larger among females (15.3% to 25.9%) than males (15.2% to 22.0%). As expected, the mean weight, BMI, triceps skinfold and sum of 5 skinfolds were significantly larger in the OC, compared to the NOC and the OC were significantly taller and had a significantly higher resting heart rate. The OC also appeared to be less fit as evidenced by their significantly inferior performance on the Canadian Standardized Test of Fitness Step Test. Results from energy expenditure data provided further evidence that the OC were less active than the NOC. Overall, the OC and NOC were similar with respect to their general eating habits with the only exception being that obese females ate breakfast significantly less often than non-obese females. The responses to several different questions indicated that significantly more of the OC were concerned with their weight and were trying to lose, or at least maintain, their weight. The obese females watched significantly less television than the non-obese females while no differences were found between obese and non-obese males. Significantly more of the OC identified "a lack of time due to work or school" as an important barrier to participating more regularly in physical activity. Several of the attitudes obese males had towards physical activity were significantly different from those of non-obese males with the obese males tending to have less positive attitudes. In addition, the obese males indicated a significantly lower level of support from their parents and close friends to participate in physical activity. Overall, the analysis of the parental data indicated that, compared to their children, the parents had less desirable eating habits, different goals with regards to their spare time, less positive attitudes towards physical activity and they were less active. These differences were often significant when the parents of non-obese children were compared to their children while they were less likely to be significant when the parents of obese children were compared to their children. As well, there was a high prevalence of obesity among the parents with a significantly higher proportion of the parents of obese children being obese compared to the parents of non-obese children. In general, the results of this study provide evidence that the prevalence of childhood obesity in Canada is increasing and that OC may differ from NOC with respect to certain lifestyle and physical factors. Additional research in this area is needed to further understand the behavioural and environmental factors that are contributing to this increasing health problem.
Item Metadata
Title |
Childhood obesity: an estimate of prevalence in Canada and an analysis of associated factors
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
1994
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Description |
Childhood obesity is a complex, multifaceted problem with
genetic, biochemical, physiological and environmental components.
A first step in determining appropriate treatment and prevention
strategies for childhood obesity is an epidemiological diagnosis.
Accordingly, the objectives of this study were to estimate the
prevalence of childhood obesity in Canada using available data
from two National surveys (Canada Fitness Survey, 1981 and
Campbell's Survey on Well-being in Canada, 1988) and to determine
if significant differences existed between the obese children
(OC) and the non-obese children (NOC) with respect to specific
lifestyle, physical and psychological factors as well as
attitudes and goals concerning physical activity. In addition,
parental data was analyzed to determine if significant
differences existed between the parents and their children with
regards to these same factors. Using the age and sex specific
85th percentile of the sum of 5 skinfolds from the Canada Fitness
Survey as the criteria for obesity, the prevalence of obesity
among children aged 7 to 12 years was shown to have risen from
15.4% in 1981 to 23.9% in 1988. This increase was larger among
females (15.3% to 25.9%) than males (15.2% to 22.0%). As
expected, the mean weight, BMI, triceps skinfold and sum of 5
skinfolds were significantly larger in the OC, compared to the
NOC and the OC were significantly taller and had a significantly
higher resting heart rate. The OC also appeared to be less fit
as evidenced by their significantly inferior performance on the Canadian Standardized Test of Fitness Step Test. Results from
energy expenditure data provided further evidence that the OC
were less active than the NOC. Overall, the OC and NOC were
similar with respect to their general eating habits with the only
exception being that obese females ate breakfast significantly
less often than non-obese females. The responses to several
different questions indicated that significantly more of the OC
were concerned with their weight and were trying to lose, or at
least maintain, their weight. The obese females watched
significantly less television than the non-obese females while
no differences were found between obese and non-obese males.
Significantly more of the OC identified "a lack of time due to
work or school" as an important barrier to participating more
regularly in physical activity. Several of the attitudes obese
males had towards physical activity were significantly different
from those of non-obese males with the obese males tending to
have less positive attitudes. In addition, the obese males
indicated a significantly lower level of support from their
parents and close friends to participate in physical activity.
Overall, the analysis of the parental data indicated that,
compared to their children, the parents had less desirable eating
habits, different goals with regards to their spare time, less
positive attitudes towards physical activity and they were less
active. These differences were often significant when the
parents of non-obese children were compared to their children
while they were less likely to be significant when the parents of obese children were compared to their children. As well, there
was a high prevalence of obesity among the parents with a
significantly higher proportion of the parents of obese children
being obese compared to the parents of non-obese children. In
general, the results of this study provide evidence that the
prevalence of childhood obesity in Canada is increasing and that
OC may differ from NOC with respect to certain lifestyle and
physical factors. Additional research in this area is needed to
further understand the behavioural and environmental factors that
are contributing to this increasing health problem.
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Extent |
9256741 bytes
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Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
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Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2009-03-03
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0087515
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
1994-11
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.