Trends in overweight and obesity among rural children and adolescents from 1985 to 2014 in Shandong, China

Background Childhood overweight and obesity has increased dramatically during the past decades, both in developing and developed countries. The present study examined the prevalent trends in overweight and obesity among rural children and adolescents over the past 29 years (1985-2014) in Shandong, China. Methods Data for this study were obtained from six cross-sectional surveys (1985, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2014) of schoolchildren in Shandong Province, China. A total of 27,840 rural students aged 7-18 years were included in this study. Body mass index cut-off points recommended by the Working Group on Obesity in China (WGOC), the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) were used to define overweight and obesity. Results The prevalence of overweight and obesity has been increasing continually in rural areas over the past 29 years (1985-2014). Using WGOC criteria, for boys, the prevalence of overweight and obesity increased from 0.74% and 0.03% in 1985 to 16.35% and 17.20% in 2014, and for girls it increased from 1.45% and 0.12% in 1985 to 13.91% and 9.11% in 2014, respectively. A similar increasing trend was observed by IOTF and WHO criteria. Conclusion The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in Shangdong rural areas increased rapidly between 1985 and 2014. Rural areas should not be neglected in obesity intervention, policy-makers and experts should pay more attention to the new tendency.