Trends in the Prevalence of Childhood Overweight and Obesity in Navarre (2007-2023): A Population-Based Primary Care Study

e202609049

Abstract

BACKGROUND // Childhood obesity is one of the leading global public health challenges, with a sustained increase in prevalence since 1975. Spain has one of the highest prevalence rates in Europe, highlighting the need for continuous epidemiological surveillance to inform prevention policies. This study aimed to analyse trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among the paediatric population of Navarre, Spain, from 2007 to 2023, and to assess the statistical significance of temporal changes.

METHODS // A population-based descriptive study was conducted among children aged <15 years living in Navarre during 2007-2023. Data were obtained from the electronic primary care health records of the Navarre Health Service (Servicio Navarro de Salud-Osasunbidea), covering approximately 93% of the paediatric population. Body mass index (BMI) was expressed as age- and sex-standardised z-scores according to World Health Organization growth standards. Overweight and obesity prevalence rates were directly age-standardised using the 2016 Navarre population as the reference. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 25 and Joinpoint Regression Program version 4.5.0 softwares, comparing eight three-year periods stratified by age and sex.

RESULTS // A statistically significant decrease in the prevalence of excess weight was observed in both sexes and in all age groups between 2007 and 2023, mainly explained by a reduction in overweight of more than 5 percentage points in boys (from 21.8% to 16.5% in six-nine years and from 24.6% to 19.6% in ten-fourteen years) and somewhat less in girls (from 23% to 18.2% in six-nine years and from 22.1% to 20.5% in ten-fourteen years). In contrast, the prevalence of obesity only decreased in boys aged six-nine years (from 13.9% to 12.7%), remained stable in the rest (around 10% in girls aged six-nine years and 12% in boys aged ten-fourteen years), and showed an increasing trend in girls aged ten-fourteen years (from 6.9% to 7.8%).

CONCLUSIONS // Although the prevalence of childhood overweight has declined, obesity remains a major public health concern in Navarre. These findings highlight the need to strengthen preventive strategies and implement targeted interventions according to sex and the severity of excess weight.