The prevalences of overweight and obesity in children aged 4 to 12 years in Gibraltar

Objective: To determine the prevalences of overweight and obesity in children aged 4 to 12 years, using the standard definitions proposed by the International Obesity Taskforce. Design: Population prevalence cross-sectional survey involving measurement of height and weight. Data collection took place in 1998. Setting: Schools in Gibraltar. Subjects: In total 2994 children, aged 4-12 years, attending these schools (1540 boys, 1454 girls). Results: Prevalence of overweight in boys was 19.7%, while obesity prevalence was 10.8%. For the girls, overweight prevalence was 21.4%, while obesity prevalence was 10.6%. There were no significant differences in the proportions of overweight or obesity between boys and girls. Conclusions: This was the first time that the prevalences of overweight and obesity have been estimated in children from Gibraltar. These data provide further information on prevalence rates of overweight and obesity, using defined cut-offs for comparison with data from other countries.