Socioeconomic determinants of excess weight in Colombian preschool and school children. National Survey of Nutritional Situation 2015. Introduction

Abstract

Childhood excess weight is a public health problem, it shows a growing trend, which will affect the health status and quality of life of future adults; It is necessary to improve the understanding of the socioeconomic determinants in this phenomenon. Objective: To analyze the main intermediate and structural socioeconomic determinants that influence excess weight in children of preschool age (3-5 years) and school age (6-12 years) in Colombia. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional correlational descriptive design with data from the 2015 National Nutritional Situation Survey (ENSIN). Logistic models were performed to explain excess weight (dependent variable) in preschool children (weight-for-height Z-score >+2SD) and schoolchildren (BMI-forage >+1SD). Results: Preschool children who do not consume elevenses or mid-afternoon have 60% less risk of excess weight compared to those who do consume. Schoolchildren have a higher risk of being overweight, the higher the family wealth index (2.09 times), the more time they spend in front of a screen (1.4 times), the less they do physical activity, and the more they are in a family with 2 to 5 members. Conclusions: There are different intermediate and structural determinants for the Colombian preschool and school population that influence excess weight. It is recommended to delve into public health policies to educate and prevent nutritional alterations and long-term complications that are detrimental to the quality of life of citizens.