Gender Differences in the Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity, Associated Behaviors, and Weight-related Perceptions in a National Survey of Primary School Children in China

Juan Zhang; Yi Zhai; Xiao Qi Feng; Wei Rong Li; Yue Bin Lyu; Thomas Astell-Burt; Peng Yu Zhao; Xiao Ming Shi

doi:10.3967/bes2018.001

Gender Differences in the Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity, Associated Behaviors, and Weight-related Perceptions in a National Survey of Primary School Children in China

Biomed Environ Sci. 2018 Jan;31(1):1-11. doi: 10.3967/bes2018.001.

Authors

Juan Zhang¹, Yi Zhai², Xiao Qi Feng³, Wei Rong Li⁴, Yue Bin Lyu⁵, Thomas Astell-Burt⁶, Peng Yu Zhao¹, Xiao Ming Shi⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Public Health, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
² Division of Non-Communicable Disease Control and Community Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.
³ Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia; Early Start Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia; Menzies Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
⁴ Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
⁵ National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China.
⁶ opulation Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia; Early Start Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia; Menzies Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2522, Australia.

PMID: 29409580
DOI: 10.3967/bes2018.001

Abstract

Objective: To in vestigate potential gender differences in the odds of overweight/obese, weight-related perceptions, and behaviors among Chinese school children.

Methods: Height, weight, and a survey of weight-related perceptions and behaviors were measured in a nationally representative survey of 12,811 children in primary schools in China. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess gender differences, adjusting for confounders.

Results: Boys had higher odds of being overweight/obese compared to girls within both urban [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.30, 95% CI 2.00 to 2.65] and rural areas (OR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.55 to 2.20). Girls reported healthier diets (e.g., daily vegetables OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.85) whereas boys consumed fried food (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.38) and sugar-sweetened drinks more often (OR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.34 to 1.65). Gender differences included higher odds of boys perceiving themselves as overweight if they had more highly educated mothers (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.68), less educated fathers (OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.99), and if they frequently consumed carbonated drinks (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.05).

Conclusion: Childhood obesity prevention in China should be gender-focused, particularly for boys who reported an unhealthier diet but were less likely to see they were fat, even though more boys were overweight or obese than girls.

Keywords: Behaviors; Children; Gender; Overweight and obesity; Weight perception.

MeSH terms

Body Image
Child
China / epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Diet
Exercise
Female
Health Behavior
Health Surveys
Humans
Male
Obesity / epidemiology*
Risk Factors
Sex Factors