Comparative analysis of overweight and obesity in Canarian and Slovenian adolescents from a continuous measure of age

Abstract

Objective: to compare the levels of overweight and obesity among 8416 Canarian and Slovenian adolescents of 14.60 ± 2.21 years, with 49.96% being women.

Method: to describe the profile of overweight and obesity, it was estimated, following the usual recommendations, through the measurement of mass, height and waist circumference, using the criteria of the Orbegozo Foundation (2011), and calculating its mean, standard deviation, coefficient rank correlation, mean comparison (Mann-Whitney U) and equal proportions (Spearman's rho). Finding according to the Body Mass Index, normal weight (79.83%), overweight (10.89%) and obesity (9.28%) stratifying the sample by gender and age segment. And, from these measurements, the limit values of the Waist-Height Ratio.

Results: the analysis of results shows that there are no differences in body mass between canaries and slovenes (p = 0.453), but differences in height (p = 0.012), waist circumference (p < 0.001) are appreciated, Body Mass Index (p = 0.002) and Waist-Height Ratio (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: there are differences in body structure between both populations. Therefore, the need to use both measures to obtain a complete diagnosis of obesity in adolescence seems evident.