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Introduction: Spain is the European leader in overweight (O-W), partly to the social and environmental changes of the last decades. The objective of the work was to study the modifiable risk factors that lead to O-W. Material and methods: A self-designed questionnaire with factors related to childhood obesity was produced, and was administered to the parents of adolescents who were attending first year of high school in four centres in Health Area V in Murcia. Weight, height, abdominal circumference and Waist-Height Index (WHI) of the students were measured, and classified as overweight-obesity. A reduction technique was applied, generating factors that grouped the items according to subject, as well as a multivalent technique to assess the dependency relationship between the variables, and the SB-OI. Results: Of the 421 students included, 28% and 35% had excess weight and abdominal obesity, respectively. The factor analysis grouped the items into 4 factors: diet, physical activity, technologies, and environment, with a subsection about body perception. The structural equation model presented an R2 of 0.440. The highest relationship was obtained with the environment factor (t 2.89), and perception (t 14.61), followed by the use of technologies. A direct relationship was also revealed regarding diet and physical activity, although not significant. Conclusions: Family perception and the social-school environment have an important influence on the development of the O-W. Health education interventions involving parents and teachers are probably the smartest and most cost-effective strategies. Resumen: Introducción: España se sitúa a la cabeza europea en exceso de peso (EP) debido en parte a los cambios sociales y ambientales de las últimas décadas. El objetivo del trabajo fue estudiar los factores de riesgo modificables que condicionan el EP. Material y métodos: Se autodiseñó una encuesta con los factores relacionados con la obesidad infantil y se administró a los padres de adolescentes que cursaban primero de secundaria en cuatro centros del Área V de Salud de Murcia. Se objetivó peso, talla, perímetro abdominal e Índice Cintura-Talla (ICT) de los alumnos y se clasificaron en sobrepeso-obesidad. Se aplicó técnica de reducción de dimensiones, generando factores que agruparon los ítems según materia y se realizó técnica multivalente para valorar la relación de dependencia entre las variables y el exceso de peso. Resultados: Fueron incluidos 421 alumnos, 28% y 35% con exceso de peso y obesidad abdominal, respectivamente El análisis factorial agrupó los ítems en 4 factores: alimentación, actividad física, tecnologías y entorno, existiendo un subapartado de percepción corporal. El modelo de ecuaciones estructurales presentó un R2 de 0.440. Se obtuvo la mayor relación con el factor entorno (t 2.89), y percepción (t 14.61), seguido del uso de tecnologías. Además reveló una relación directa respecto a la alimentación y la actividad física, aunque no significativa. Conclusiones: La percepción familiar y el ambiente social-escolar influyen de forma importante en el desarrollo del EP. Las intervenciones de educación para la salud con inclusión de padres y profesores probablemente sean las estrategias más inteligentes y rentables.

Resumen: Introducción: España se sitúa a la cabeza europea en exceso de peso (EP) debido en parte a los cambios sociales y ambientales de las últimas décadas. El objetivo del trabajo fue estudiar los factores de riesgo modificables que condicionan el EP. Material y métodos: Se autodiseñó una encuesta con los factores relacionados con la obesidad infantil, y se administró a los padres de adolescentes que cursaban primero de secundaria en 4 centros del Área V de Salud de Murcia. Se objetivó el peso, talla, perímetro abdominal e índice cintura-talla (ICT) de los alumnos, y se clasificaron en sobrepeso-obesidad. Se aplicó la técnica de reducción de dimensiones, generando factores que agruparon los ítems según materia, y se realizó una técnica multivalente para valorar la relación de dependencia entre las variables y el EP. Resultados: Fueron incluidos 421 alumnos, el 28 y el 35% con EP y obesidad abdominal, respectivamente. El análisis factorial agrupó los ítems en 4 factores: alimentación, actividad física, tecnologías y entorno, existiendo un subapartado de percepción corporal. El modelo de ecuaciones estructurales presentó un R2 de 0,440. Se obtuvo la mayor relación con el factor entorno (t 2,89) y percepción (t 14,61), seguido del uso de tecnologías. Además, reveló una relación directa respecto a la alimentación y la actividad física, aunque no significativa. Conclusiones: La percepción familiar y el ambiente social-escolar influyen de forma importante en el desarrollo del EP. Las intervenciones de educación para la salud con inclusión de padres y profesores probablemente sean las estrategias más inteligentes y rentables. Abstract: Introduction: Spain is the European leader in over weight (O-W), partly to the social and environmental changes of the last decades. The objective of the work was to study the modifiable risk factors that lead to O-W. Material and methods: A self-designed questionnaire with factors related to childhood obesity was produced, and was administered to the parents of adolescents who were attending first year of high school in four centres in Health Area V in Murcia. Weight, height, abdominal circumference and Waist-Height Index (WHI) of the students were measured, and classified as overweight-obesity. A reduction technique was applied, generating factors that grouped the items according to subject, as well as a multivalent technique to assess the dependency relationship between the variables, and the SB-OI. Results: Of the 421 students included, 28 and 35% had excess weight and abdominal obesity, respectively. The factor analysis grouped the items into 4 factors: diet, physical activity, technologies, and environment, with a subsection about body perception. The structural equation model presented an R2 of 0.440. The highest relationship was obtained with the environment factor (t 2.89), and perception (t 14.61), followed by the use of technologies. A direct relationship was also revealed regarding diet and physical activity, although not significant. Conclusions: Family perception and the social-school environment have an important influence on the development of the O-W. Health education interventions involving parents and teachers are probably the smartest and most cost-effective strategies.

Background: The alarming increase in childhood obesity is a global public health problem since it has significant health consequences. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the potentially modifiable risk factors for developing excess weight and determine the importance of developing certain habits to prevent childhood overweight and obesity. Methods: The sample included 416 students between the ages of 12 and 14 (12.8 ± 0.62) first-year high school students from Murcia in Spain. Data were collected on their lifestyle habits through the ENHASA questionnaire, and the somatometry of the participants was measured. Such data were studied through structural equation modeling and importance-performance map analyses. Results: The modifiable risk factors that presented the greatest potency directly regarding when developing excess weight in adolescents were ‘use of electronic devices’ and ‘not performing physical activity’ (p < 0.001). ‘Social and school environment’ and ‘diet’ showed relationships but no significant differences with overweight or obesity. Globally, the lifestyle habit of the greatest importance for not being overweight was ‘engagement in extracurricular physical activities’. On the other hand, the habits related to using new technologies in a sedentary way showed the best capacity for improvement. Therefore, it would be very efficient to focus on them to control excess weight. Conclusion: Responsible and limited use of screens and engaging in extracurricular physical activities may be the most remarkable and cost-effective strategies for obesity prevention programs.

BACKGROUND The number of overweight children is increasing at an alarming rate. This issue requires effective action plans, as childhood obesity has become a problem in which addressing environmental factors is decisive. In addition, significant differences have been shown in lifestyle habits that determine overweight based on sex. Therefore, this study aimed to examine these risk factors according to sex. METHODS The sample included first-year high school students from Murcia, Spain. Information was collected through the "Questionnaire on Healthy Habits in Adolescents," validated for this age range, and the weight, height, and waist circumference of the participants were obtained. Data were analyzed through partial least squares structural equation modeling to determine which modifiable risk factors promote the appearance of excess weight and in what magnitude. RESULTS A total of 421 students participated in the study. 40.6% of overweight patients were detected according to their body mass index. No differences were found between the sexes and weights. The environment and the use of new technologies that do not involve sitting were significant only in girls (p

Childhood obesity presents alarming numbers in our country, being even higher in the population of immigrant origin. The main objective was to analyse the excess weight numbers both in native adolescents and in those children of immigrants and to determine the ethnic influence on lifestyle habits that could condition these differences in weight overload.Adolescents from 1st year of Obligatory Secondary Education (E.S.O.) participated; somatometry was determined and classified according to BMI (with WHO references) and parental origin. Parents completed the survey on healthy habits (ENHASA). An analysis of variance was performed for each of the 4 dimensions of the questionnaire.A total of 416 adolescents participated (12.8±0.62 years). Excess weight was detected in 41.2% of the participants, with significant differences between groups (p 0.018): 36.7% in Spanish, 42.9% in North Africa and 58.2% in South America. The ANOVA analysis showed differences in the section "physical activity" (p 0.003), highlighting the maximum disparity in the performance of extracurricular sports activities, with a lower score in both non-native groups.We found significant differences according to ethnic origin in the number of overweight children and the amount of physical activity they do; South American adolescents are the most sedentary. We must design interventions that guarantee the access of all adolescents to sports activities to prevent the development of obesity.

Social and cultural changes are altering young people's habits. Some surveys measure such behaviors, but are hard to interpret. The objective of this study was to design and validate a homogeneous questionnaire to study habits among adolescents aged 12-14 years.Descriptive and crosssectional study to validate a questionnaire. Items were selected after a bibliographic review and expert assessment. The pre-test was administered to a pilot sample. Reliability was established using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and construct validity, using a factor analysis. It was administered to a sample of parents of students from 4 secondary schools.Cronbach's coefficient showed values close to 0.7 in 3/4 subscales and an overall value of 0.629, showing accuracy and stability. Factor analysis determined an adequate construct validity, with 4 factors: eating, physical activity, new technologies, and environment. The final questionnaire included 26 items and was administered to 421 participants. Poor habits were observed in 24.8 % and very unhealthy, in 3.4 %. Girls had poorer scores in physical activity (p0.001), and boys, in new technologies, although it was not significant.The final instrument was valid, reliable, and easily administered to assess modifiable behaviors in adolescents. The inclusion of technologies and environment helps to adapt the questionnaire to current changes. The greatest deficit was observed in the technology use and physical activity domains; and girls were more sedentary.Introducción. Los cambios sociales y culturales están alterando los hábitos de los jóvenes. Existen encuestas para medir dichas conductas, pero son de difícil interpretación. El objetivo del estudio fue diseñar y validar un cuestionario homogéneo para estudiar los hábitos en adolescentes de 12- 14 años. Población y métodos. Estudio descriptivo y transversal para validación de un cuestionario. Los ítems fueron seleccionados tras revisión de la literatura y evaluación por expertos. El pretest fue administrado a una muestra piloto. Se determinó la fiabilidad mediante el alfa de Cronbach, y la validez del constructo, mediante un análisis factorial. Se aplicó a una muestra de padres de alumnos de cuatro centros de secundaria. Resultados. El coeficiente de Cronbach mostró valores próximos a 0,7 en tres de las cuatro subescalas y un valor global de 0,629, que demostró precisión y estabilidad. El análisis factorial determinó una validez de constructo adecuada, que mostró 4 factores: alimentación, actividad física, nuevas tecnologías y entorno. El cuestionario final tuvo 26 ítems y se aplicó a 421 participantes. Un 24,8 % presentaron hábitos deficientes, y un 3,4 %, muy poco saludables. Las adolescentes mostraron peores puntuaciones en actividad física (p0,001), y los adolescentes, en nuevas tecnologías, aunque no significativo. Conclusiones. Se obtuvo un instrumento válido, fiable y de fácil aplicación para evaluar conductas modificables en adolescentes. La inclusión de tecnologías y entorno adapta el cuestionario a los cambios actuales. Las dimensiones sobre uso de tecnologías y actividad física fueron las más deficitarias; las adolescentes se mostraron más sedentarias.