In Argentina there is little information available about overweight/obesity in schoolchildren. The aims of this study are to analyze the prevalence of overweight/obesity and to determine the factors with preventive value in schoolchildren in Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina. This is a prevalence study based on a mixed probability sampling. A total of 1,645 students, aged 6 to 11 years, were interviewed with their parents. The nutritional diagnosis of overweight and obesity was established using body mass index, according to the criteria of the International Obesity Task Force. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was high: 25.6% (IC95%: 23.5; 27.7) and 13.8% (IC95%: 12.1; 15.5) respectively; these percentages are similar to national results and higher than those found in studies from other provinces and other Latin American countries. A prediction model was constructed using a multivariate logistic regression analysis, considering the overweight as the dependent variable. The final model included as variables: having one sibling or being an only child, maintaining a high level of consumption of fast foods, and maintaining a high level of consumption of soft drinks.

En Argentina la información de sobrepeso-obesidad en escolares es escasa. Los objetivos de este estudio son analizar la prevalencia de sobrepeso-obesidad y determinar los factores con valor preventivo en escolares de Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina. Se trata de un estudio de prevalencia. Se aplicó un muestreo probabilístico mixto. 1.645 escolares de 6 a 11 años fueron entrevistados con sus padres. El diagnóstico nutricional se hizo con el índice de masa corporal siguiendo los criterios del International Obesity Task Force. Las prevalencias de sobrepeso-obesidad encontradas fueron altas: 25,6% (IC95%: 23,5; 27,7) y 13,8% (IC95%: 12,1; 15,5) respectivamente, semejantes a resultados nacionales y superiores a otros estudios provinciales y latinoamericanos. Se construyó un modelo de predicción mediante análisis de regresión multivariado considerando como variable dependiente al exceso de peso. El modelo final incluye: tener un hermano o ninguno, alto consumo de comidas rápidas y alto consumo de gaseosas.

In Argentina there is little information available about overweight/obesity in schoolchildren. The aims of this study are to analyze the prevalence of overweight/obesity and to determine the factors with preventive value in schoolchildren in Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina. This is a prevalence study based on a mixed probability sampling. A total of 1,645 students, aged 6 to 11 years, were interviewed with their parents. The nutritional diagnosis of overweight and obesity was established using body mass index, according to the criteria of the International Obesity Task Force. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was high: 25.6% (IC95%: 23.5; 27.7) and 13.8% (IC95%: 12.1; 15.5) respectively; these percentages are similar to national results and higher than those found in studies from other provinces and other Latin American countries. A prediction model was constructed using a multivariate logistic regression analysis, considering the overweight as the dependent variable. The final model included as variables: having one sibling or being an only child, maintaining a high level of consumption of fast foods, and maintaining a high level of consumption of soft drinks.

En Argentina la información de sobrepeso-obesidad en escolares es escasa. Los objetivos de este estudio son analizar la prevalencia de sobrepeso-obesidad y determinar los factores con valor preventivo en escolares de Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina. Se trata de un estudio de prevalencia. Se aplicó un muestreo probabilístico mixto. 1.645 escolares de 6 a 11 años fueron entrevistados con sus padres. El diagnóstico nutricional se hizo con el índice de masa corporal siguiendo los criterios del International Obesity Task Force. Las prevalencias de sobrepeso-obesidad encontradas fueron altas: 25,6% (IC95%: 23,5; 27,7) y 13,8% (IC95%: 12,1; 15,5) respectivamente, semejantes a resultados nacionales y superiores a otros estudios provinciales y latinoamericanos. Se construyó un modelo de predicción mediante análisis de regresión multivariado considerando como variable dependiente al exceso de peso. El modelo final incluye: tener un hermano o ninguno, alto consumo de comidas rápidas y alto consumo de gaseosas.