Đặc điểm trẻ thừa cân, béo phì ở khu vực Đồng bằng sông Hồng

Childhood obesity has emerged as a significant global public health concern, with rapidly increasing prevalence in many nations, particularly developing ones like Vietnam. The escalating urbanization, shifts in lifestyle, and energy-dense diets coupled with reduced physical activity contribute significantly to the rising rates of overweight and obese children. Beyond cosmetic concerns, childhood obesity is strongly linked to chronic health issues such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and psychosocial problems. In the economically vibrant Red River Delta region, rapid changes in living environments and habits exacerbate this trend. Understanding the specific characteristics of overweight and obese children aged 6-17 years in this region is crucial for providing essential data to identify the scale and distribution of the problem, thereby informing targeted public health interventions.

Public health professionals, policymakers, healthcare providers, educators, and researchers focused on child health and nutrition, especially those working in the Red River Delta region.

This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to characterize the prevalence and features of overweight and obese children aged 6-17 years within the Red River Delta region, an area experiencing rapid socio-economic transformation. Anthropometric data, including height and weight, along with demographic information, were collected from 2,037 participants. Body-for-age Z-score (BAZ) and height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) values were calculated based on the 2007 WHO growth standards and analyzed using Stata 17.0. The findings reveal a concentrated prevalence of childhood obesity among primary school-aged children (6-10 years), comprising 73.2% of the study population. Notably, this age group exhibited the highest mean BAZ (2.61 ± 0.52) and HAZ (0.66 ± 1.40). A statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) was observed across age groups. Furthermore, boys demonstrated significantly higher mean BAZ (2.59 ± 0.54) and HAZ (0.69 ± 1.33) compared to girls (p < 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively). The study also highlighted that 81.1% of children were classified as overweight, 13.1% as obesity I, and 5.8% as obesity II. While a significant portion (78.7%) maintained normal height-for-age, 17.6% were taller-for-age and 3.7% were stunted, indicating complex growth patterns. These results underscore the critical need for early and multi-component interventions targeting childhood obesity, particularly focusing on younger children and boys in the Red River Delta. The high BAZ and HAZ values observed necessitate comprehensive public health strategies, including school-based screenings for BMI, BAZ, and HAZ, coupled with nutritional education, promotion of physical activity, and robust family-school-community collaborations to mitigate the long-term health consequences associated with this growing health challenge.