Impact of national policy on physical activation reduction obesity in school age children

Abstract

The overweight/obesity prevalence in Mexico until 2006 was 26% in children 5 to 11 years for both sexes, and one in three teenagers. This paper attempts to evidence physical activity level (PAL), overweight/obesity, environmental factors and socio attitude of children and adolescents among policies from Secretariats of Health and Education. For this study 234 children (117 girls and 117 boys from 10 to 12 years) were evaluated. PAL was measured through the questionnaire, attitude to physical activity, environmental factors inter and extra school. 36% of the population observed had risk of overweight/obesity, two-thirds were women. In general, children with an attitude of action had normal weight with a BMI of 20.6 ± 2.8 g. The greatest influence on the transition from the contemplation stage to the action was gave in the social and family atmospheres followed of the school.