From Your Health Journal…..”A great article on one of my favorite sites that I like to promote called Medical Xpress. The article is entitled Obesity more of a problem for boys from poor backgrounds shows study of 36 years’ data with information provided by University of Aberdeen. Current research looking at 36 years’ of data for children aged five and six shows that obesity rates are now generally falling except in more deprived communities where obesity levels continue to climb. It also appears that it is more prevalent in boys, especially in deprived areas. The study did not set out to look for ‘reasons why’ this was occurring, but hopefully, further work will look into this – if the data is true, so it may help children in these deprived communities. To learn more, please visit the Medical Xpress web site (link provided below) to read the complete article.”

From the article…..

New research analysing 36 years’ data for children when they were aged five and six shows that obesity rates are now generally falling except in more deprived communities where obesity levels continue to climb.

And the problem appears to be more prevalent in boys from poorer backgrounds, according to the University of Aberdeen study published in Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Researchers examined height, weight and obesity trends of almost 195,000 five to six year olds born between 1970 and 2006. The height and weights had been routinely collected between 1975 and 2011 by school nurses from children whilst in their first year at primary schools in North-east Scotland.

The study set out to describe trends in height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and obesity for the population from 1975 to the present day and to explore difference in gender and socio-economic backgrounds. Findings include:

* While the prevalence of obesity is now dropping, it is still much higher than it was in the 1970s, and that prevalence is still rising in the poorest communities

* Obesity prevalence initially fell for birth years 1970-1977, when height was increasing

* Obesity rose between 1977 and 1998

* Obesity fell for those born between 1998 and 2006

* Obesity was initially highest in girls and most affluent communities, but became most prevalent among boys and least affluent communities

Dr Steve Turner, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Child Health at the University, said: “Our study examined trends in height, weight, body mass index, and obesity from 1975 to the present day and by looking at school rolls we know we have captured measurement from at least 80% of all five to six year old children from the Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray areas of North-east Scotland.

To read the full article…..Click here