Relationship between age, overweight and obesity in Peruvian schoolchildren

Authors

Keywords:

Overweight, obesity, schoolchildren, body mass index

Abstract

Introduction: The rising trend of obesity and overweight among school-aged children is a concerning phenomenon that requires immediate attention, as it is associated with significant health risks and tends to worsen with age.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between chronological age, overweight, and obesity in schoolchildren aged 7 to 12 years in Lima, Peru.
Materials and Methods: A correlational study design was used, with a sample of 256 schoolchildren aged between 7 and 12 years. Height was measured using a SECA 216 stadiometer and weight with an Omron BF511 scale, in order to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI).

Results: A relationship was found between age and BMI, with a Spearman’s rho of .373** and a p-value of .000. Among all participants, 39.39% were classified as obese and 21.21% as overweight. Among children with either overweight or obesity, 44.82% of girls were overweight and 55.17% obese, while 25.81% of boys were overweight and 74.19% obese.

Conclusions: A positive and significant correlation was observed between age and BMI, indicating that in the population studied, the risk of overweight and obesity progressively increases with age.

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Published

2025-08-25

How to Cite

1.
Ñahui Rojas HF, Casimiro Urcos JF, Marcelino Marcos PM, Camac Tiza MM, Maque Ponce ML, Pareja Pérez LB. Relationship between age, overweight and obesity in Peruvian schoolchildren. Rev Cubana Inv Bioméd [Internet]. 2025 Aug. 25 [cited 2025 Aug. 30];44. Available from: https://revibiomedica.sld.cu/index.php/ibi/article/view/3917