Socio-family variables associated with a higher risk of overweight and abdominal obesity in school children from a pediatric service at Colima, Mexico

Abstract

To identify the association between family factors (structure, functionality, and socioeconomic context) and the presence of overweight and abdominal obesity in school children, an analytical cross-sectional study was performed in 120 schoolchildren (5-11 years old) and their mothers assisting to a pediatric care service at Colima City, Mexico. Overweight was defined with the BMI indicator with a Z-score > +1 standard deviation and abdominal obesity as a waist circumference > 75th percentile by sex and age. Family size and type, type of home, parents' relationship, and family functionality were evaluated. Associations were analyzed with multiple logistic regression. Overweight was present in 33%, and abdominal obesity in 33.7% of the children. A smaller family size, greater neighborhood marginality, a perception of problems in the family economy, a larger birth weight and older age were associated with overweight. A smaller family size, higher birth weight and older age were associated with abdominal obesity. We suggest a family systems approach, including family size and variables of socioeconomic context -which determine their interaction dynamics-, in programs for overweight and abdominal obesity prevention.