Risk Factors of Childhood Obesity in Manitoba: A Population-based Study

Childhood obesity is a public health issue. In Canada, the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity nearly tripled since 1978. The prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity in Manitoba (2004) was significantly higher than the national average (31% vs. 26%). METHODS: The Manitoba children sample (N=1651, age 2-17) was extracted from the Canadian Community Health Survey on Nutrition (2004), which collected measured body mass index. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used to identify risk factors associated with overweight/obesity (by Cole et al. definition, 2000). RESULTS: 31% Manitoba children were overweight/obese. Older Boys (OR=1.52, p=0.025) and boys from food insecure households (OR=2.09, p=0.038) are more likely to be overweight/obese than the younger and those from food secure households, respectively. Girls from higher parental education households were less likely to be overweight/obese than those from lower parental education household (OR=0.58, p=0.03). Young boys (age 2-11) living in south/eastern/central and northern rural Manitoba were more likely to be overweight/obese (OR=1.46, p=0.01) than those living in south eastern rural and urban Manitoba. Adolescent girls (age 12-17) who were sedentary >=3 hours/ day were more likely to be overweight/obese (OR=1.45, p=0.03) than those who were less sedentary. Other risk factors, such as regular physical activity (boys only OR=0.23, p=0.06) and >=5 times daily fruit/vegetable consumption (girls only, OR=0.38, p=0.06) approach significant association with adolescent overweight/obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Identification of high risk factors in certain populations, such as gender, age and geographic, will assist in developing tailored public health policies and programs for childhood obesity prevention/intervention.