Pan Xiaoting, Jiang Chaoyi, Wang Wenqing, Lin Jianfeng
The First School of Medicine, School of Information and Engineering, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Front Public Health. 2025 Mar 19;13:1551099. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1551099. eCollection 2025.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents aged 7 to 17 in China is increasingly concerning. Additionally, there is a notable phenomenon where height does not correspond with weight. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in this demographic, explore associations with lifestyle factors, and propose strategies for health promotion.
This study combines a questionnaire survey with field interviews. Using stratified cluster random sampling, we selected 2,243 primary and middle school students from 49 counties in Zhejiang, China, for the questionnaire survey. Furthermore, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 52 parents.
Among the 2,243 participants surveyed, 523 were classified as either overweight or obese, resulting in a detection rate of 23.32%. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was higher in boys compared to girls (25.6% vs. 21.1%, = 0.01). Additionally, the rates among adolescents and children in urban areas were greater than those in rural areas (25.8% vs. 20.5%, = 0.003). Logistic regression analysis identified several risk factors for overweight and obesity: male gender (OR = 1.846; CI = 1.287 ~ 2.649; = 0.001), 7 days/week the highest frequency of fried food consumption per week (OR = 88.293; CI = 49.369 ~ 157.905; < 0.001), 7 days/week the highest frequency of night snacking (OR = 13.24; CI = 7.176 ~ 24.429; < 0.001), and diets prefer sweetness (OR = 26.299; CI = 15.073 ~ 45.885; < 0.001), saltiness (OR = 14.672; CI = 8.972 ~ 23.992; p < 0.001), and spiciness (OR = 1.967; CI = 1.125 ~ 3.438; = 0.018). Conversely, 7 days/week the highest frequency of moderate-to- vigorous physical activities per week was associated with a lower risk of overweight and obesity (OR = 0.137; CI = 0.057 ~ 0.328; < 0.001). Notably, 84% of parents reported that their children rarely shared interesting stories during school breaks, highlighting the common occurrence of "quiet ten minutes" between classes.
The issue of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in China is significant, particularly among boys in primary schools. An obesogenic environment contributes to this problem, influenced by changes in dietary habits, exercise patterns, and sociocultural factors. Preventing and controlling overweight and obesity among adolescents and children requires the collective efforts from all sectors of society, including government departments, educational institutions, communities and families. Preventative measures should include lifestyle modifications including exercise and dietary adjustments.
中国7至17岁儿童青少年超重和肥胖的患病率日益令人担忧。此外，还存在身高与体重不匹配的显著现象。本研究旨在调查该人群中超重和肥胖的患病率，探讨与生活方式因素的关联，并提出健康促进策略。
本研究将问卷调查与实地访谈相结合。采用分层整群随机抽样方法，从中国浙江省49个县选取2243名中小学生进行问卷调查。此外，我们对52名家长进行了半结构化访谈。
在接受调查的2243名参与者中，523人被归类为超重或肥胖，检出率为23.32%。男孩超重和肥胖的患病率高于女孩（25.6%对21.1%，P = 0.01）。此外，城市青少年和儿童的患病率高于农村地区（25.8%对20.5%，P = 0.003）。逻辑回归分析确定了超重和肥胖的几个危险因素：男性（OR = 1.846；CI = 1.287至2.649；P = 0.001），每周食用油炸食品频率最高达7天/周（OR = 88.293；CI = 49.369至157.905；P < 0.001），每周吃夜宵频率最高达7天/周（OR = 13.24；CI = 7.176至24.429；P < 0.001），以及饮食偏好甜食（OR = 26.299；CI = 15.073至45.885；P < 0.001）、咸食（OR = 14.672；CI = 8.972至23.992；P < 0.001）和辛辣食物（OR = 1.967；CI = 1.125至3.438；P = 0.018）。相反，每周进行中等到剧烈体育活动频率最高达7天/周与超重和肥胖风险较低相关（OR = 0.137；CI = 0.057至0.328；P < 0.001）。值得注意的是，84%的家长表示他们的孩子在课间休息时很少分享有趣的故事，凸显了课间“安静十分钟”的普遍存在。
中国儿童青少年超重和肥胖问题严重，尤其是小学男生。致胖环境导致了这一问题，受到饮食习惯、运动模式和社会文化因素变化的影响。预防和控制青少年和儿童超重和肥胖需要社会各界共同努力，包括政府部门、教育机构、社区和家庭。预防措施应包括改变生活方式，如运动和饮食调整。
