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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.

Aim: The prevalence of weight status disorders and body dissatisfaction is continually increasing in adolescents from European countries. Overweight and obesity affect the physical self perception of children entering adolescence, especially girls. In Western cultures, where the idealised female physique is ultra thin, body dissatisfaction tends to be proportional to one’s body size. The mediating role of perceived competence on physical activity is an other important causal mechanism partially responsible for physical inactivity and obesity. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between weight status, body dissatisfaction and physical self efficacy, in Italian adolescents. Method: The sample consists of 151 subjects (78 M and 73 F) attending second grade school in the city of Bologna, aged 13/15 years old. The main anthropometric analysis concerned weight status and body dissatisfaction index. Physical self perception has been valuated through a Self Efficacy Questionnaire. Results: The percentage of overweight and obese subjects was higher in males (M = 30.6 %; F = 26.0 %); on the contrary females presented a higher percentage of underweight (F = 4.1 %; M = 0 %). The body dissatisfaction index showed, in both genders, the desire to be thinner, with higher mean values of dissatisfaction in females [F = 0.7 (sd = 1.5); M = 0.5 (sd = 1.2)] the mean value of self efficacy was higher in males [8.6 (sd = 1.7)] than in females [7.3 (sd = 1.7)]. Self perception of physical skills was negatively related [p\0.05 (r = -0.3)] with weight status: overweight and obese subjects perceived themselves as less physically skilled than normal weight and underweight counterparts, in both genders. Self efficacy was also negatively related [p\0.05 (r = -0.3)] to body dissatisfaction, in both genders. Conclusion: In summary, males show a lower body dissatisfaction and a higher physical self efficacy. The relationships between weight status, body dissatisfaction and self efficacy are relevant and emphasize the influence of body size and body image on self perception of physical skills. References Sanchez Cruz et al (2013) Prevalence of child and youth obesity in Spain in 2012. Revista Espanola de Cardiologia. doi:10.1016/j.recesp.2012.10.016 Morano et al (2011) Body image, perceived and actual physical abilities in normal-weight and overweight boys involved in individual and team sports. J Sport Sci 29(4):355–362 Collins ME (1991) Body figure perceptions and preferences among preadolescent children. Int J Eat Disord 10:199–208 Cole et al (2000) Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international survey. Br Med J 320:1240–1243 Cole et al (2007) Body mass index to define thinness in children and adolescents: international survey. Br Med J 335:194–198