Questions of true incidence and prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents

Abstract

There are presented data of the study of the prevalence rate of obesity in children and adolescents residing in the city of Ivanteevka of the Moscow region. Indices of the prevalence rate of obesity were calculated per 1000 in child population of the appropriate age. The obesity in children and adolescents in the structure of endocrine diseases was found to be ranked as second. During the period from 2000 to 2013 there was revealed a consistent upward trend in the frequency of obesity in children. There was shown a possibility for the existence of regional features of the prevalence of obesity in children. The low incidence rate of the detection of obesity in children of the Moscow region may be caused by underdiagnosis of this form ofpathology. On the basis of own data the authors showed that the true prevalence rate of the obesity in children is much higher than the official data according to medical help seeking by patients. However, only 26.6% of children and adolescents with obesity are observed and receive treatment at the pediatric endocrinologist. This demonstrates the needfor increment in the medical activity and responsibility of children and parents, enhancement of their motivation in keeping healthy lifestyle, as well as improvement of the efficiency of the prevention of obesity by medical staff of children's polyclinics.