Investigation of dietary habits and obesity rates of Thessaloniki primary school children aged 6 to 12 and surveying the parents’ opinions about their children’s eating behaviour

Abstract

Introduction: The nature of the etiology of obesity is multifactorial. Aims: The purpose of the study was to develop a childhood obesity probability assessment index based to social behavioral factors and sociodemographic characteristics of the family. Materials and method: The study was cross-sectional with additional data from a representative sample of 187 students (9-13 years old) from the city of Agrinio (The Agrinio City Study). Impaired perception of body image, increased school shyness/anxiety, poor school acceptance and reduced school performance were found to independently correlate with childhood obesity. Therefore these factors combined with the child's sex to create an index estimating the probability of childhood obesity (SOREI Index: School Obesity Risk Evaluation Index). Results: The score of SOREI index ranged from 0 to 13. For each unit increase in the index SOREI was a corresponding increase in obesity probability (probability range 3% to 42%). The diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by means of analysis of the ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve), whereby the score of 6 SOREI index can best separate the obese than non-obese children. For this optimum threshold SOREI sensitivity ratio was 59% and the corresponding specificity 67%. Conclusions: The proposed indicator can be used by teachers to identify the increased probability of childhood obesity in schools. An inexpensive tool can be useful in supporting initiatives that could assist in the prevention of childhood obesity and social exclusion.