Search

Weight disorders are rapidly increasing in childhood. In Italy a strong geographic North-South gradient of overweight and obesity has been reported. The purpose of this study is to examine anthropometric variables, physical activity and lifestyles in school-age children in the cities of Bologna and Crotone. The sample consists of 963 children attending primary schools, aged 6–10 years. Height, weight, triceps, and subscapular skinfolds were measured for each child; body mass index (BMI) and percentage of fat mass were calculated. Physical activity was determined through an interview with each child. Another questionnaire was submitted to parents, in order to obtain information on sleep duration, means of transport and type of physical activity. In the city of Bologna, the mean values of anthropometric variables were: height (boys – 1335 mm, girls – 1332 mm), BMI (boys – 17.8 kg/m2, girls – 17.3 kg/m2), and the proportion of overweight and obese individuals was: boys – 20.6%, girls – 12.7%. In Crotone the mean values were: height (boys – 1275 mm, girls – 1265 mm), BMI (boys – 19.4 kg/m2, girls – 19.3 kg/m2), and the proportion of overweight and obese individuals was: boys – 46.7%, girls – 49.0%. The results have demonstrated significant correlations of lifestyle and physical activity with children's weight status. In Crotone there is a larger variation of weight disorders with higher percentages of overweight children than in Bologna. The children in Crotone are engaged in sedentary activities for a significantly longer time than children in Bologna, who are more physically active. The data show a strong North-South gradient concerning not only distribution of weight status, but also lifestyles especially including participation in sports and sedentary behavior. Our study also provides meaningful suggestions how to define lifestyles in order to achieve an optimal health status during growth.

The present study aimed to analyze, in Italian children and adolescents, the beliefs about which foods are fattening, the appreciation of fattening foods, and the perception of some socio-cultural attributes of them. 244 children (F: 125, M: 119, aged 8–11) and 305 adolescents (F: 153; M: 152, aged 11–14) from Bologna, Northern Italy, were asked to indicate five fattening foods. For each of the indicated foods, a yes-no answer was required to the question: “is this food special for you?”, and to six questions concerning socio-cultural attributes of the food, which were modelled using a latent variable with two classes named “traditional” and “modern”. Pearson’s chi square tests revealed, both in boys and girls, significant associations between the age class and the foods indicated as fattening: lean meat, condiments, non-sweet fruit and vegetables were more often indicated as fattening by children than by adolescents. Overall, boys showed higher appreciation and perception of fashionability of fattening foods. Girls appreciated less bread and pasta, and indicated more often than boys these foods as fattening. The different food perception of between age classes and sexes can be respectively explained by a better dietary awareness of adolescents, and by girls worrying about their look more than boys.

Cross-sectional study among immigrant and native children from Emilia-Romagna (Italy). Aim: The purpose of the present study was to examine the relative contribution of weight status, ethnicity and sex on body dissatisfaction in a sample of children from Emilia-Romagna (Italy). Subjects and methods: Primary school children (226 immigrants and 1206 Italians) aged 6-11 years were measured: immigrant children were divided into Asians, Africans, Latin Americans and East Europeans. Height and weight were measured and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. Body image perception was assessed using Body Silhouette Charts. A body dissatisfaction score (BDS) was derived by subtracting the "ideal self" from the "self" score. Results: Weight status disorders were higher in immigrants than in native-born males; Italian females had higher prevalence of underweight and overweight and lower prevalence of obesity than immigrants peers. BDS rose with the increase of weight status categories. Conclusions: Awareness of body image size and increasing body dissatisfaction with higher weight status is established in childhood, regardless of ethnicity and gender.

The prevalence of weight disorders among school-aged children is an increasing phenomenon and it is of great importance to identify the characteristics of individuals at risk of gaining or retaining weight. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of weight disorders and their tracking over a 3-year period in a sample of Italian children. Body mass, body height and selected skinfold thicknesses were assessed in 355 children at the age of 7 and 10 years. Tracking of body mass index (BMI), inverted BMI (iBMI) and skinfold-based body fat were analyzed and the relationships between changes in BMI and body fat were examined. Children presenting with overweight or obesity at 7 years old showed a trend toward lower weight categories at 10 years old. Conversely, a trend to become overweight was observed among normal weight boys, and a trend to become underweight was observed among normal weight girls. BMI, iBMI and body fat showed good levels of tracking, with high correlations between measurements performed at 7 and 10 years of age. Furthermore, BMI and iBMI changes were correlated to body fatness changes. The present study shows the importance of carefully following children’s development over time because weight disorders may appear even in previously normal weight children.

Introduction The prevalence of weight status disorders and body dissatisfaction is continually increasing in adolescents from European countries (Sanchez Cruz et al, 2013) (Eisenberg, Neumark-Sztainer, & Paxton, 2006). Physical capacities are related to body size. In particular, the weight status affects some motor and strength performances (Graf et al, 2004). Little is known, however, on how one’s physical fitness affects the perception of his/her own body image. The objective of the present study was to determine the interrelationships among body mass index, body image perception and motor performance in Italian second grade school students. Methods The sample included 61 adolescents (35 boys and 26 girls) from Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, aged 16-17 years. Height and weight were measured and BMI was calculated. Body image perception was assessed using Body Silhouette Charts (Collins, 1991). Physical assessments included a standing broad jump, hand grip dynamometer test, sit and reach flexibility test, gross motor skill test, and shuttle run endurance test. Results The BMI was similar in girls (21.4 kg/m2, SD: 2.0) and boys (22.4, kg/m2; SD: 2.9). However, girls overestimated their actual figure, and showed a higher body dissatisfaction , as revealed by a larger difference between their desired and perceived body image. Boys performed better than girls in the standing broad jump, dynamometer, and shuttle run tests, while girls had a higher flexibility. When controlling for gender, BMI was negatively related to performance in the standing broad jump and gross motor skill tests. When controlling for both gender and BMI, performing better in the standing broad jump and shuttle run involved a thinner body perception. Discussion Self-perception of body image is affected, apart from the actual body size, even by one’s aerobic and explosive strength capacity. Therefore, improving physical fitness may contribute to reduce body dissatisfaction in adolescents, by means of both loss of weight and change of perceived body image. References Sanchez Cruz et al. (2013). Rev Esp Cardiol. Doi: 10.1016/j.recesp.2012.10.016. Eisenberg, M. E., Neumark-Sztainer, D., & Paxton, S. J. (2006). J Psychosomatic Res, 61, 521–527. Graf et al. (2004). Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord, 28, 22-6. Collins M.E. (1991). International Journal of Eating Disorders, 10, 199-208.

Growth parameters were surveyed in a sample of 296 Italian children, 6–9 years old, from Cento (Ferrara, Emilia- -Romagna). The comparison with children from the same town measured in 1974–75 show changes in some parameters, suggesting an ongoing secular trend. To better understand the observed weight increase and the sex difference, we also evaluated body composition and motricity. The analysis of the present sample is a preliminary part of a longitudinal study dealing with modifications of body composition and motor capacity induced by growth. In our sample the children are growing according to the Italian reference standard. The females present weight, height and Body Mass Index (BMI) values comparable to the 50th centile, while the males present higher values of weight, skinfold thicknesses and BMI. Sex differences in the motor performance were noted. A methodological comparison of obesity assessments based on BMI an percentage of body fat (%F) shows similar conclusions but somewhat different results