Overweight/ obesity in Balkan region 2013-2015 for Albanian children

Abstract

This study research aim to find out the overweight/ obesity prevalence in Albanian children (19,850 children; 9973 boys and 9877 girls) living in the Balkans (Albania, Kosovo, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro) for the period 2013- 2015. 
This study research is based on the results of the "BASIC" project applied in Sports University of Tirana (SUT). This report is developed for the first time in the Region as well as in Albania, including mapping the spread of obesity and overweight, regarding children in primary and secondary school (6- 15 years old).  
It was measure body weight and body height in children and BMI was calculated using this two parameters. The reference curves used for calculated overweight/ obesity (BASIC Albanian reference population for overweight/ obesity) were based on the LMS method (Cole 1990) using the software LMS chart maker (LMS Pro version 1.16, Institute of 
Child Health, London).  The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Balkan among boys and girls aged 6.5–15.5 years (2013-2015), by countries (estimates based on Albanian reference population) was: Albania- overweight 10.9 % (boys 11.5%, girls 10.2 %); 
obesity 5.7% (boys 5.8%, girls 5.6%): Kosovo- overweight 6.8 % (boys 7.3%, girls 6.3 %); obesity 3.3% (boys 3.3%, girls 3.3%): FYR Macedonia- overweight 10.7 % (boys 9.9%, girls 11.6 %); obesity 6.8% (boys 7.1%, girls 6.6%): Montenegro- overweight 14.9 % (boys 16.9%, girls 12.6 %); obesity 10.2% (boys 10.9%, girls 9.5%).  The results of this study show that there is a difference of the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Albanian children living in Balkan (between countries, gender and geographic location)