WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative: body mass index and level of overweight among 6–9-year-old children from school year 2007/2008 to school year 2009/2010

Table 7 Absolute change in prevalence of overweight (including obesity) and obesity in boys and girls aged 6–9 years from COSI Round 1 (2007/2008) to COSI Round 2 (2009/2010), by age and country

Age group and country^‡	Overweight (including obesity) (%)^#		Obesity (%)^#
	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls
6-year-olds
BEL	- 1.3°°°	- 0.2	- 0.2	+ 0.1
SVN	- 4.6°°	- 1.9	- 1.6	- 1.6
7-year-olds
BEL	- 0.4	- 0.1	+ 0.4	+ 0.5
CZE	+ 2.9	+ 3.5	+ 1.0	+ 1.5
IRL	- 1.9	- 1.0	- 0.1	- 2.9
LVA	+ 0.4	+ 3.2°	+ 2.1°	+ 2.9°°°
LTU	- 0.4	0	+ 0.1	- 0.1
PRT	- 9.0°°°°	+ 0.7	- 2.5	- 0.4
SVN	- 3.0°	- 3.2°	- 2.1°	- 0.4
8-year-olds
BEL	- 0.2	- 0.3	- 0.1	+ 0.4
ITA	- 4.2°°°°	- 2.2°	- 3.9°°°°	- 1.3
NOR	+ 6.2°°°	+ 3.1	+ 4.2°°°	+ 0.2
SVN	+ 0.2	+ 0.3	+ 1.3	+ 1.0
9-year-olds
BEL	- 0.1	- 0.6	+ 0.4	+ 0.1
ITA	- 3.3°	- 2.7	- 3.8°°	- 2.8°°

Abbreviations: BMI/A body mass index-for-age, COSI Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative, WHO World Health Organization.
^‡The country codes refer to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 3166–1 Alpha-3 country codes and countries were listed in alphabetical order by their full names: BEL, Belgium (Flanders); CZE, Czech Republic; IRL, Ireland; ITA, Italy; LVA, Latvia; LTU, Lithuania; NOR, Norway; PRT, Portugal (all regions except Madeira); SVN, Slovenia.
^#Prevalence estimates were based on the 2007 WHO recommended growth reference for school-age children and adolescents [17]. Body weight was adjusted for clothes worn when measured and children with a BMI/A Z-score < −5 or > + 5 were excluded. Overweight and obesity were defined as the proportion of children with a BMI/A value above +1 Z-score and above + 2 Z-scores, respectively.
°Statistically significant difference of proportions between the two rounds for the indicated age-sex group (z test; P < 0.05).
°°Statistically significant difference of proportions between the two rounds for the indicated age-sex group (z test; P < 0.01).
°°°Statistically significant difference of proportions between the two rounds for the indicated age-sex group (z test; P < 0.001).
°°°°Statistically significant difference of proportions between the two rounds for the indicated age-sex group (z test; P ≤ 0.0001).

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