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The heights and weights of Irish children from the post-war era to the Celtic tiger.
Perry, I J Whelton, H Harrington, J Cousins, B
Perry, I J
Whelton, H
Harrington, J
Cousins, B
Advisors
Editors
Other Contributors
Date
2009-03
Date Submitted
Keywords
Other Subjects
Subject Mesh
Adolescent
Adolescent Development
Anthropometry
Body Height
Body Weight
Child
Child Development
Child, Preschool
Female
Growth
Health Surveys
Humans
Ireland
Male
Obesity
Prevalence
Social Change
Adolescent Development
Anthropometry
Body Height
Body Weight
Child
Child Development
Child, Preschool
Female
Growth
Health Surveys
Humans
Ireland
Male
Obesity
Prevalence
Social Change
Planned Date
Start Date
Collaborators
Principal Investigators
Files
Alternative Titles
Publisher
Abstract
Childhood obesity is a significant global health issue. National level data on long-term secular trends are relatively sparse.
Data were obtained from three large-scale surveys of school-aged children in Ireland involving measurements of height and weight in 1948, the 1970s and 2002.
Significant increases in height and weight were observed in both boys and girls and in all age groups across the decades. The increases in weight were disproportionate to the trends in height. While boys aged 14 years were 23 cm taller 2002 than in 1948, their average weight was 61 kg, compared with 37 kg in 1948, an increase of 24 kg. A substantial proportion of the increase in weight is seen between the 1970s and 2002.
The data provide stark and compelling evidence on the evolution of the obesity epidemic in Irish children in tandem with the increase in economic prosperity.
Data were obtained from three large-scale surveys of school-aged children in Ireland involving measurements of height and weight in 1948, the 1970s and 2002.
Significant increases in height and weight were observed in both boys and girls and in all age groups across the decades. The increases in weight were disproportionate to the trends in height. While boys aged 14 years were 23 cm taller 2002 than in 1948, their average weight was 61 kg, compared with 37 kg in 1948, an increase of 24 kg. A substantial proportion of the increase in weight is seen between the 1970s and 2002.
The data provide stark and compelling evidence on the evolution of the obesity epidemic in Irish children in tandem with the increase in economic prosperity.
Language
en
ISSN
1470-2738
eISSN
ISBN
DOI
10.1136/jech.2008.079236
PMID
19208691