Prevalence of Overweight and Childhood Obesity on an Atlantic Island: A Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study finds high rates of overweight and obesity among children and teens on Terceira Island, with no significant differences by age or sex.

Contribution

The study provides updated prevalence estimates of childhood overweight and obesity in the Azores region, specifically on Terceira Island.

Findings

Over 41% of children and adolescents were overweight, and 24% were obese.

Prevalence estimates showed no significant associations with age or sex.

The results highlight the urgent need for prevention and intervention strategies.

Abstract

Background

Childhood overweight and obesity are major public health concerns, with limited recent epidemiological data available for the Azores region, particularly for Terceira Island. Accurate regional prevalence estimates are fundamental for the planning of effective prevention strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents on Terceira Island and to assess potential associations with age and sex.

Methods

An observational cross-sectional study was conducted between April and May 2025. The study population included individuals aged five to 18 years registered at Terceira Island’s primary health care facility. Participants were selected through simple random sampling, and data on age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) were extracted from clinical records. Corresponding BMI-for-age percentiles were calculated using standardized growth curves. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses were performed to assess associations, including chi-square tests, Student’s t-tests, and logistic regression, with p-values <0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results

Of 680 individuals initially selected, 136 were excluded due to missing or outdated BMI records, resulting in a final sample of 544 participants (50.6% male). The prevalence of overweight was 41.2%, and obesity was 24.1%. Population-level prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals ranged from 37.2% to 45.2% for overweight and from 20.1% to 28.1% for obesity. No statistically significant associations were observed between these conditions and age or sex. These findings suggest a high prevalence of excess weight among children and adolescents on Terceira Island, regardless of age or sex.

Conclusion

Childhood overweight and obesity are highly prevalent on Terceira Island, and no differences were found by age or sex, highlighting the urgent need for early prevention and intervention strategies to address excess weight in this population.