The authors found the highest prevalence of overweight in the United States and the lowest in Lithuania. They report that 12.6 per cent of 13 year old boys, 10.8 per cent of 13 year old girls, 13.9 per cent of 15 year old boys, and 15.1 per cent of 15 year old girls in the US are overweight.
The study looked at the body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) of 29,242 boys and girls aged 13 to 15 years from Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Flemish Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Ireland, Israel, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, and the United States.
For children and adolescents, a BMI at the 85th to 94th percentile for age generally is considered 'at risk for overweight' and a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for age is generally considered 'overweight'.
"Among 13 year olds, countries with significantly increased prevalence of BMI at or above the 85th percentile for both sexes were Ireland, Finland, and Greece. Countries with significantly low prevalence of BMI at or above the 85th percentile were the Czech Republic, Denmark, Flemish Belgium, France, Germany, Lithuania, and Sweden, although comparisons within and among countries by age and sex varied," the researchers claimed.
Obesity in adolescents is associated with obesity-related health problems in adulthood, with 50 per cent to 80 per cent of obese teenagers becoming obese adults.
The World Health Organization has designated obesity as one of the most important public health threats because of the significant health impact of diseases associated with obesity such as cardiovascular disease.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is calling for soft drinks to be eliminated from schools to help tackle the nation's obesity epidemic. In a statement published in this week's issue of Pediatrics, they urge schools to limit contracts with vendors of soft drinks and fast foods.
Another report in the same journal estimates that childhood consumption of fast foods has increased fivefold, from 2 per cent of daily meals in the late 1970s, to 10 per cent of daily meals by the mid-1990s.