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BMC Pediatrics
Published in: BMC Pediatrics 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Obesity | Research article

Sex-related change in BMI of 15- to 16-year-old Norwegian girls in cross-sectional studies in 2002 and 2017

Authors: Asborg A. Bjertnaes, Jacob H. Grundt, Petur B. Juliusson, Trond J. Markestad, Tor A. Strand, Mads N. Holten-Andersen

Published in: BMC Pediatrics | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

The prevalence of overweight and obesity (OWOB) has stabilized in some countries, but a portion of children with high body mass index (BMI) may have become heavier. This study aimed to describe the distributions of BMI and the point prevalence of OWOB in Norwegian adolescents in 2002 and 2017.

Methods

A cross-sectional study involving 15- to 16-year-old adolescents in Oppland, Norway, was undertaken in 2002 and 2017. We calculated their BMI, BMI z-scores (BMIz), and the prevalence of OWOB.

Results

The mean BMI increased from 20.7 to 21.4 (p < 0.001) for girls but remained unchanged at 21.5 vs 21.4 (p = 0.80) for boys. The prevalence of OWOB increased from 9 to 14% among girls (difference 5, 95% CI: 2, 8) and from 17 to 20% among boys (difference 3, 95% CI: − 1, 6%). The BMI density plots revealed similar shapes at both time points for both sexes, but the distribution for girls shifted to the right from 2002 to 2017.

Conclusion

Contrary to previous knowledge, we found that the increase in OWOB presented a uniform shift in the entire BMI distribution for 15–16-year-old Norwegian girls and was not due to a larger shift in a specific subpopulation in the upper percentiles.
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Metadata
Title
Sex-related change in BMI of 15- to 16-year-old Norwegian girls in cross-sectional studies in 2002 and 2017
Authors
Asborg A. Bjertnaes
Jacob H. Grundt
Petur B. Juliusson
Trond J. Markestad
Tor A. Strand
Mads N. Holten-Andersen
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Pediatrics / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2431
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-019-1790-2

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