<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Introduction. The pandemic of obesity in adolescents is one of the challenges of public health. Aim. The aim of this study was to examine the association of overweight with demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors among Serbian adolescents. Method. A cross-sectional study of 2139 adolescents aged 10 to 19 years was carried out. Data used in this study were from the 2006 Health Survey. In accordance with the international sex- and age-specific Body Mass Index cut-off points, all participants were classified as being normal weight or overweight, including obese. The association between the risk factors and overweight were examined using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results. The study showed that 28.9% of boys and 17.0% of girls were overweight, while 14.5% of boys and 8.1% of girls were obese. Boys were more likely to be overweight/obese, compared with girls. Being younger (p&lt; 0.01 for 14 to 15 years) and (p&lt; 0.01, for 16 to 19 years), engaging in physical activities that last less than 7 hours a week, in such a manner that they breathe quickly and become sweaty, (p&lt; 0.01) and skipping breakfast (p&lt; 0.05) were risk factors significantly associated with overweight among adolescents. No significant association was found with wealth index. Conclusion. These findings should be an integral part of further preventive interventions, especially oriented towards younger adolescents, who are physically inactive, have a habit of skipping breakfast and are boys.</abstract>

Introduction. The pandemic of obesity in adolescents is one of the challenges of public health. Aim. The aim of this study was to examine the association of overweight with demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors among Serbian adolescents. Method. A cross-sectional study of 2139 adolescents aged 10 to 19 years was carried out. Data used in this study were from the 2006 Health Survey. In accordance with the international sex- and age-specific Body Mass Index cut-off points, all participants were classified as being normal weight or overweight, including obese. The association between the risk factors and overweight were examined using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results. The study showed that 28.9% of boys and 17.0% of girls were overweight, while 14.5% of boys and 8.1% of girls were obese. Boys were more likely to be overweight/obese, compared with girls. Being younger (p< 0.01 for 14 to 15 years) and (p< 0.01, for 16 to 19 years), engaging in physical activities that last less than 7 hours a week, in such a manner that they breathe quickly and become sweaty, (p< 0.01) and skipping breakfast (p< 0.05) were risk factors significantly associated with overweight among adolescents. No significant association was found with wealth index. Conclusion. These findings should be an integral part of further preventive interventions, especially oriented towards younger adolescents, who are physically inactive, have a habit of skipping breakfast and are boys.

Risk Factors Associated with Overweight among Adolescents in Serbia/ Dejavniki Tveganja, Povezani S Prekomerno Telesno Težo Pri Mladostnikih V Srbiji

Institute of Public Health of Serbia “Dr Milan Jovanovic Batut”, Department for Health Promotion for Special Groups, Dr Subotic Street 5, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Institute of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Dietetic Unit, Institute of Hygiene and Medical Ecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Institute of Medical Statistics and Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Introduction. The pandemic of obesity in adolescents is one of the challenges of public health. Aim. The aim of this study was to examine the association of...

Risk Factors Associated with Overweight among Adolescents in Serbia/ Dejavniki Tveganja, Povezani S Prekomerno Telesno Težo Pri Mladostnikih V Srbiji

Published Online: Oct 15, 2014

Page range: 283 - 293

Received: Nov 23, 2013

Accepted: Jun 19, 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2014-0031

Keywords
Overweight, risk factors, adolescents

© National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Risk Factors Associated with Overweight among Adolescents in Serbia/ Dejavniki Tveganja, Povezani S Prekomerno Telesno Težo Pri Mladostnikih V Srbiji

Published Online: Oct 15, 2014

Page range: 283 - 293

Received: Nov 23, 2013

Accepted: Jun 19, 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2014-0031

KeywordsOverweight, risk factors, adolescents

© National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Overweight, risk factors, adolescents