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Female gender and wealth are associated to overweight among adolescents in La Paz, Bolivia

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages 82–87 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To describe the prevalence of overweight, obesity and being thin in adolescents of La Paz City, Bolivia.

Design: Cross-sectional study, clustered sampling.

Setting: La Paz, Bolivia, August–September 2003.

Subjects: Height and weight of 525 adolescents (mean age 16 y; s.d.±1.3) attending public and private schools were measured; sociodemographic characteristics were assessed with a short questionnaire.

Results: The present study reveals that 9.3% (±2.5) of the sample are thin adolescents; 19.8% (±3.4) is the overall prevalence of overweight and 2.3% (±1.3) the overall prevalence of obesity. The odds of being thin were higher among those working (P=0.03) and among those of higher age (P<0.001). The odds of being overweight were higher among female subjects (P<0.001). The odds of being obese were higher among younger adolescents (P=0.046) and among the more wealthy ones (P=0.044).

Conclusions: A large prevalence of 22% overweight/obesity in adolescents from La Paz City was observed. The findings support the need of enhanced nutritional surveillance and interventions particularly in female adolescents.

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Acknowledgements

This study was partially sponsored by Nutrition Tiers Monde, a Belgian Non-Profit Organisation. The Bolivian Ministry of Education gave the Ethical Approval to the study. The Bolivian Non-Profit Association ‘Promoción Investigación y Acción Social para el Desarrollo’ (PIAS) collaborated with the fieldwork. We are thankful to Dr Augusto Saavedra for the anthropometric measurements. We thank the Directors, Teachers and Students from the following Schools: ‘Martín Cárdenas’ (Auquisamaña & E1 Alto), ‘Santa Rosa’, ‘Dora Schmidt’, ‘San Calixto’, ‘Vida y Verdad’, ‘Instituto Americano’ (Convenio) and ‘David Pinilla’ for their participation in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrition and Child Health Unit, Department of Public Health, Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, Antwerpen, Belgium

    A Pérez-Cueto & P W Kolsteren

  2. Responsible of the Health and Sexuality Inter-Sectors Programme, Ministry of Education, Calle Cap. Ravelo 2329, Piso 4, La Paz, Bolivia

    M Almanza

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  1. A Pérez-Cueto
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Correspondence to A Pérez-Cueto.

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Guarantor: A. Pérez-Cueto.

Contributors: AP designed the study, coordinated the execution of the survey, performed the data management and analysis and was responsible for the writing of the manuscript. MA participated in the execution of the survey and gave critical comments on the design, methodology and final contents of the paper. PWK coordinated the study, participated in the design and contributed substantially to the contents of the paper.

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Pérez-Cueto, A., Almanza, M. & Kolsteren, P. Female gender and wealth are associated to overweight among adolescents in La Paz, Bolivia. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 82–87 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602040

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